UPDATE: This story has been updated to include information from the Salem Public Schools, which canceled all outdoor activities Tuesday due to poor air quality amid the brush fires and smoky conditions. Salem High School was dismissed early due to elevated smoke levels near its campus.
SALEM — Elevated smoke levels near Salem High School forced the school to dismiss early on Tuesday, and relocate students from the Horace Mann Laboratory School to Witchcraft Heights Elementary School.
An alert from the school district said Salem High would dismiss at 11:30 a.m. while Horace Mann would begin shifting students at 12:15 p.m. Officials said there was no danger related to the ongoing brush fires in Salem , but the smoke warranted the changes.
The Salem Fire Department, alongside 13 local departments providing mutual aid, worked to extinguish the Cain Hill fire that started Saturday evening and continued to smolder on Monday evening, Deputy Chief Peter Schaeublin said.
That fire is now 95% contained and extinguished, with a few hotspots in areas. To date, 172 acres have burned in the fire, according to a city update.
On Tuesday morning, a brush fire was reported in Salem Woods, between First Street and the municipal golf course, creating smoky conditions throughout the city.
The Fire Department alerted residents to the situation, saying it was a different fire than the one still burning from the weekend. The public was urged to avoid outdoor activities and close windows. At one point in the day the fire impinged on nearby condos, but units were put in place to protect them and push the fire back.
The fire burned about 7 acres and was contained to a perimeter surrounding the burned areas. Residual smoke is expected to continue through Tuesday night until the fire can be entirely extinguished.
The Traders Way fire, on the other side of Highland Avenue in Salem Woods burned about 7 acres and has been contained to a perimeter surrounding the burned areas. Residual smoke from that fire is expected to continue through the night and longer, until the fire can be entirely extinguished.
In light of the air quality concerns, Salem Public Schools canceled all outdoor activities on Tuesday, saying recess, physical education, outdoor learning and sports activities would be moved indoors until further notice. The district said it is in regular communication with city and fire officials and will share updates as necessary.
Over the last three days, 135 acres of wooded area have burned in the area bordering the Fays Estates in Lynn; The Meadows Golf Course in Peabody and a mixed commercial, residential area of Highland Avenue, Osborne Hills Road and Old Village Drive in Salem, according to Mass. Forest Fire Control.
Crews spent Monday morning and afternoon beating those flames back across the Peabody-Salem line.
While Peabody saw a brush fire burn about 50 acres of brush near the Meadow Golf Course and Sunset Drive last month, the city hasn’t had any of its own brush fires break out in the last few days.
“It’s been quiet up there today, knock on wood,” Peabody Fire Chief Jay Dowling said Tuesday afternoon.
No buildings or homes have been damaged, according to Salem fire Chief Alan Dionne.
On Monday, Dionne requested assistance from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to protect residents and tourists from the burning woods in Salem.
At 8 a.m., Mass. Forestry Strike Team 13A was dispatched with mutual aid received from Belmont, Medford, Lexington, Gloucester, Lynn, Burlington, Beverly, Haverhill, Groveland, Saugus, Weston and Manchester-by-the Sea, with 45-50 personnel working in the woods throughout the day.
Adding to the challenges, a water main break on Willson Street around 1 p.m. shut off multiple hydrants being utilized by fire crews. The problem was quickly repaired by the Salem DPW under the guidance of Ray Jodoin, and all water was back online by 3:30 p.m.
With most activities being off of the main roadways into the city, the incident has no effect on Haunted Happening events that are ongoing in downtown Salem, according to Dionne.
Meanwhile, reports say there are nearly 50 ongoing brush fires across Massachusetts, which is under a statewide red flag warning.
Fires have also been burning nearby in Beverly, Middleton, Topsfield, North Reading and Saugus.
The fire in Middleton was estimated to have burned more than 250 acres, and units were working from both the Middleton and North Reading sides of the fire.
Michael McHugh can be contacted at mmchugh@northofboston.com or at 781-799-5202