WEST LEBANON — Brush fires have swept across the Upper Valley in recent days as a result of dry conditions, wind and outdoor burning.
In the past week, there have been multiple local brush fires, including on Thursday in Pomfret, Friday in West Windsor and Sunday in Newport.
The top layer of vegetation on the ground is particularly dry, which Newport Fire Chief Steve Yannuzzi said is particular to this time of year but not unique to this season. He added that the main cause of brush fires is typically human error.
New Hampshire experienced 87 wildfires caused by debris and open burning in 2025. Of the 84 wildland fires in Vermont in 2025, half were caused by campfires or debris burning.
With high winds, outdoor fires can spread at a rapid rate. Extinguishing these fires involves catching up to them and getting all the way around the affected area, which Yannuzzi described as “manpower intensive and labor intensive.”
When it comes to house fires, the damage is often contained to the structure, or even a room inside the structure, though it can escalate quickly, said Yannuzzi. A brush fire, however, is completely uncontained.
“It can go whichever way the wind decides to blow,” said Yannuzzi.
In Pomfret on Thursday, a fast-moving fire burned through dry grass and brush around 6 p.m., according to a news release by the Pomfret-Teago Volunteer Fire Department. Its crew, with the help of mutual aid from Barnard, Bridgewater, Hartford, Sharon and Woodstock fire departments, cleared the scene about two hours later.
“Avoid outdoor burning during dry conditions. Burn permits are required and will not be issued until further notice,” a social media post by the Pomfret fire department said.
On Friday, a West Windsor brush fire burned 2.5 acres of land near multiple houses on Delano Road. Nick Francona was doing work on the property, when the torch he was using to burn weeds in his peach and pear orchard caused a fire that went out of control, despite him having brought water, a rake and a shovel.
“I thought I was being responsible, but realized I needed help really quickly,” Francona said Friday.
The fire was ruled an accident and a citation was not necessary, Fire Chief Erik Boedtker said. There was no burn ban enacted in West Windsor at the time of the incident.
The N.H. weather forecast calls for possible rain showers throughout the remainder of this week, which could help minimize the fire risk by wetting down vegetation, according to the National Weather Service.
Firefighters extinguished the fire two hours after responders arrived, with mutual aid provided by departments from Windsor, Weathersfield, Woodstock, Springfield, Claremont, Cornish and Hartland.
On Sunday, a campfire grew into a large brush fire on Sandhill Road in Newport. The property owner and their family had a small fire that got picked up by wind around 11 a.m. and spread throughout about 2 acres of land, Yannuzzi said.
Some of the Newport fire was in the woods, so responders had to enter the area on smaller vehicles and use hand tools instead of a typical fire engine.
The department issued a warning to the property owner, who Yannuzzi declined to name but said they had no malintent and even helped out by moving logs around with their equipment.
“They were very cooperative; very contrite about what had happened,” said Yannuzzi.
Firefighters extinguished the fire in about four hours using 12 engines and five off-road vehicles. Eleven other New Hampshire fire departments provided mutual aid, including Claremont, Croyden, Springfield, Newbury, Unity, Grantham, Goshen, New London, Sunapee, Lempster and Washington fire departments.
Vermont requires permits for certain types of burning, but not campfires or land management, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. New Hampshire, however, requires a permit for almost all outdoor burning, aside from times when the ground is covered in snow.
Fire departments across both states post the daily fire danger level, typically outside the department buildings or online. New Hampshire posts its own daily fire danger report, which people can sign up for using their email, and Vermont has a fire danger forecast map updated daily.
“If you have any questions, or you’re not really sure if it’s a good day or a good idea, call your local fire department,” said Yannuzzi. “Just ask.”
