Great Barrington — According to the town’s Fire Department, the Butternut Fire, which at last report involved 1,388 acres of land in both Great Barrington and Sheffield, has been contained.
The department made the announcement on its Facebook page during the afternoon of Saturday, Nov. 23.
However, according to Great Barrington Fire Department Lieutenant Brian Mead, high winds are expected to pick up in the area.
“When the winds do blow, you’re going to have exposure to new material to burn,” Mead said. “We’re expecting to see flare ups and smoke.”
According to the National Weather Service, wind gusts are expected to be as high as 36 mph on Saturday evening, with wind gusts forecasted up to 33 mph on Sunday, Nov. 24.
NWS forecasts that the wind gusts will subside during the afternoon of Monday, Nov. 25.
Rain showers are forecasted for Saturday evening.
Showers are also forecasted during the evening of November 25 lasting until the afternoon of November 26.
Mead re-emphasized the need for people to stay away from the area of the fire.
“This area is very unstable,” Mead said. “We are expecting that there’s going to be trees falling, there’s going to be landslides, and there’s going to be rocks rolling down hills. It is very steep and slippery. Again, please stay very clear of this area.”
In the evening, the department announced that there have been no significant developments during the day.
