The staging area on Reservoir Road is just one of three where firefighters are attacking the fire.
LEE, Mass. — Firefighters from 19 fire departments and the state Department of Conservation battled a massive brush fire near October Mountain State Forest on Thursday afternoon.
Fire Chief Alan B. Sparks said the fire had burned through more than 30 acres since being reported shortly after 1 p.m.
"I'm not going to say it's contained," said Sparks at one of the staging areas earlier in the afternoon. "I'm going to say some of it's contained."
The fire was reportedly contained around 7 p.m. with some departments ready to pack up and head home.
The fire began in the back yard of a Sharyn Drive property where someone was burning brush. The chief said the man had a permit to burn but lost control of the fire.
Staging areas had been set up at Sharyn Drive and Lander and Reservoir roads in an attempt to surround the fire. Sparks said it keeps jumping everytime the wind picks up.
Firefighters were using ATVs and hauling water in tankers to reach the flames. Adams Forest Wardens were among the North County departments at the scene. They had arrived one staging area and were awaiting instruction. Pittsfield, Tyringham and Richmond were also there.
There had been talk of using a Massachusetts National Guard helicopter to scoop water out of Laurel Lake to help douse the flames but it was not clear when and if that was going to occur.
Sparks said he didn't know how long firefighters would be on the scene.
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