Westover air base burns grass to reduce wildfires - NEWS10 ABC: Albany, New York News, Weather, Sports

Westover air base burns grass to reduce wildfires

WESTOVER, Mass. (AP) - Fire officials will be burning grass at Westover Air Reserve Base to maintain the grasslands and reduce the possibility of wildfires.

Officials at the western Massachusetts air base say its firefighters and Forest Service firefighters will burn about 225 acres of grassland beginning Tuesday. The schedule will depend on wind, rain and temperature.

The air base says burning will coincide with eye-level wind gusts of 20 mph or less and should not pose a safety risk. Officials say winds are expected to disperse the smoke away from the immediate area.

The firefighters will wet bordering vegetation or use other firebreaks to manage the fires.

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