BOSTON — Firefighters in Massachusetts are continuing to battle stubborn brush fires across the state with officials urging residents to take precautions to help avoid sparking new blazes. In Massachusetts, an average of 15 wildland fires are reported each October. On Saturday, a Boston man was arrested in connection to a brush fire in Milford, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of Boston. More than a quarter of this year’s brush and wildland fires took place in October, according to Chief Fire Warden David Celino of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. “Any outdoor fire will grow quickly, become difficult to control, and require numerous firefighting resources.”State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said about 45% of Massachusetts homes are in or near wooded areas at risk for brush and wildland fires.

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Persons: David Celino, ” Celino, Jon Davine Organizations: BOSTON — Firefighters, National Weather Service, Massachusetts Department of Conservation, Recreation Locations: Massachusetts, Boston, In Massachusetts, Milford