If you woke up in North Wilmington on Monday and caught a noseful of smoke, you were not alone. Residents across the neighborhood reported a heavy, lingering smell in the air as fire crews kept watch on a brush fire along Andover Street that has turned into a long-running headache.
Where the Smoke Is Coming From
Town officials say the haze is drifting from a smoldering pile of natural wood chips at 333 Andover Street that has been burning on and off since mid-December. According to the Wilmington Fire Department's situational report, crews first dealt with the site after a fire there in September, using thermal imaging and heavy equipment and pouring more than 3.5 million gallons of water into the pile during earlier operations. The report notes that air-monitoring checks for oxygen concentration, hydrogen sulfide, carbon monoxide and explosive gases have not shown elevated readings.
The town says it plans to bring equipment back in, dig out the pile and tap the Andover Street hydrant for a sustained push to finally knock down the smoke, according to the Town of Wilmington situational report.
What Officials Are Doing Now
The Wilmington Police Department has warned residents that the smoke hanging over North Wilmington is tied to the ongoing brush fire on Andover Street and emphasized that the Fire Department is actively monitoring the scene, according to a Wilmington Police Department Facebook post.
Local reporting says fire crews plan to return to the site in the mid-to-late part of next week with heavy equipment and a steady water supply to finish extinguishing the pile, as covered by Patch.
Health Advice and Air Monitoring
Even though town checks have not found elevated readings on their meters, smoke can still irritate lungs and worsen symptoms for people with asthma, heart disease or other health issues. Federal guidance recommends limiting outdoor activity while smoke is present, using HEPA or other high-efficiency filters indoors and considering N95 respirators for short trips outside when needed, according to the EPA.
Residents can also use live air-quality tools such as MassDEP and AirNow to help decide whether to stay inside or scale back outdoor plans, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
What’s Next
"We will use the hydrant on Andover St. and start a consistent, aggressive push to eliminate the smoke as quickly as possible," Fire Chief William F. Cavanaugh III wrote in the town report.
For the latest on the operation and air conditions, town officials are directing residents to follow updates on the Wilmington Police Department Facebook page and through official town notices.
