Brush fire blackens several acres in Lincoln

A brush fire just south of Route 2 burned several acres of wooded area but did not damage any structures or result in any injuries.

The May 24 fire damaged about 12 acres of conservation land between Flint’s Pond and Orchard Lane, according to Peter von Mertens, co-chair of the Conservation Commission. Firefighters form Lincoln, Wayland, Weston, Concord and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation responded. Crews used chain saws, shovels and a leaf blower to build a fire break and contain the fire, and they also attacked it with water pumped from Flint’s Pond, said Selectman Noah Eckhouse. Workers patrolled the area during the following week to put out spots that were still smoldering.

Officials concluded that the blaze was probably caused by a careless smoker walking through the area. A gusty wind and extremely dry conditions on the forest floor allowed the fire to spread quickly and scorch a number of trees. Those trees will be evaluated over the next year and some that are critically damaged will need to be taken down, von Mertens said.

Virtually all of the underbrush and ground cover was burned out, and commission members will be taking photos in the area periodically to evaluate the regrowth in the area. Lincoln Fire Chief Stephen Carter and the Conservation Commission strongly advise people to stay out of the area until the threat of falling trees can be determined and dealt with.