Clarksburg State Forest Fire Continues To Burn

Over 100 firefighters across Massachusetts and Vermont continue to battle the wildfire which has burned its way through Williamstown, Clarksburg and North Adams since last Friday, when it started in a remote, wooded area of Williamstown.

Since then, it has spread at an alarming rate, burning over 900 acres of the Clarksburg State Forest — and counting. It's the largest wildfire in Massachusetts in over two decades, since the Tekoa Mountain fire in 1999. As of Monday afternoon, the fire was 75% contained, but the steep wooded terrain is enabling it to continue to spread.

We wanted to find out how unusual this fire is, how much it has to do with climate change, and what it means for the health and safety of the communities in its wake. David Celino, Chief Fire Warden for the Department of Conservation and Recreation, joins us to answer our questions and give a status update.