Local
Guard aircraft brought in to help contain 200-acre Williamstown wildfire
Massachusetts activated National Guard support after a wildfire crossed from New York into Williamstown. The blaze covered about 200 acres and was roughly 50% contained Monday night, with no structures threatened, local fire officials said.
Massachusetts National Guard aircraft are joining firefighting efforts in Williamstown after a wildfire that began in New York crossed the state line, Gov. Maura Healey’s office said Monday.
The aircraft will drop water on fires in remote, rocky terrain that ground crews have difficulty reaching. The Williamstown Fire Department reported Monday night that the fire had burned about 200 acres and was roughly 50% contained. It said the blaze posed no threat to structures.
“Our top priority is keeping people safe and giving our firefighters every resource possible to contain this wildfire,” Healey said in a statement.
State agencies are also assisting. The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, Department of Fire Services and Department of Conservation and Recreation have been monitoring the fire and supporting the response. The fire services department is providing a drone team that sends officials high-definition and thermal images to help direct resources.
The area has faced major wildfires before. In May 2021, a fire burned at least 800 acres of Clarksburg State Forest in Williamstown. Fire officials described it at the time as Massachusetts’ largest wildfire since 1999.