Brush fire in Pelham burns 11 acres near Mount Orient

PELHAM — A brush fire that began Saturday afternoon in the area of Mount Orient, an area of town just west of North East Street in Amherst, consumed a little over 11 acres of mostly wooded property before being put out.

Fire Chief Dennis E. Nazzaro said firefighters were notified shortly after 3 p.m. Saturday about the fire, with the smoke spotted by a state Department of Conservation and Recreation fire tower. The fire was distant from any homes, with hiking and logging trails passing through a portion of the land.

About 30 firefighters from Pelham, Amherst, Leverett, Shutesbury, Belchertown and Hadley, along with both DCR’s Forest Fire Control and Westover Fire Department, responded to the scene, with all-terrain vehicles and smaller brush trucks able to use the trails. Other firefighters walked almost two miles to the scene.

Some water was brought to the scene to extinguish burning trees and brush, but Nazzaro said most of the work involved cutting a fire line using rakes and shovels.

Wagner Wood, located on North East Street, offered both heavy equipment, such as a bulldozer, that was able to widen some of the access points, and also provided food and water for the crews.

Firefighters were on scene until sundown Saturday to contain the fire to the area west of the Hearthstone Brook.

They returned at daylight Sunday, staying until 3 p.m. The fire line held most of the fire, with one area where the fire had jumped overnight, Nazzaro said.

Amherst Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Gaughan said a newly acquired utility terrain vehicle was deployed to help access the site, moving both personnel and water.

Nazzaro said the risks for brush fires are currently high due to the generally dry and windy conditions, and the fire towers continue to play an important role in identifying fires.