CHARLTON (AP) — The commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation says a brush fire in Brimfield last week has prodded officials to remove downed trees and build fire breaks.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that Commissioner Edward M. Lambert Jr. recently visited the area. He says more efforts are being made to remove downed trees from 600 acres of the Brimfield State Forest affected by last year’s tornado even though the fire didn’t affect that particular area.

He says about 9,000 trees have been removed from the state forest and 100-foot-wide fire breaks are being created to improve access for firefighting equipment.

Winter and early spring have been unusually dry. Firefighters are nervous because of debris from storms in central Massachusetts in the past several years.

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.