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Dry Season In Mass. Raises Risk Of Forest Fires

PRINCETON (CBS)  -- The state's forest fire season is back and the danger is real, according to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR).

"Fuels are really dry typically this time of year and, on average, across the northeast United States, this is the traditional fire season," DCR's Chief Fire Warden Dave Celino said.

From a network of 42 operating towers in the state, crews can spot smoke in the distance and figure out where that fire is.

"Each of the towers have maps in the center with what we call an alidate or compass in the center of the tower. It's oriented towards north, and we use the maps to cross the lines and it works," Celino said. "It's an old technology but it's pretty solid and reliable."

A majority of the fires in the state are preventable.

"Probably over 98 percent are human caused," Celino said. "We don't get a lot of dry lightening systems here in New England like they do in the west."

However, the fires spread faster because of the dry air. Celino says the threat of fires will diminish as the trees green up, and the weather brings rain.

WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Ben Parker reports

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