LYNN — The Lynn Woods Reservation is once again open to the public after more than a week of closure due to a number of brush fires that officials estimate burned approximately 100 acres of land in the park.
On Sunday, hikers and nature enthusiasts gathered on the reservation’s PennyBrook Road entrance for a relaxing day in the newly-reopened reservation.
Dan Pagliarulo, of Lynn, said that he and his partner, Ronny Desjadon, like drinking their coffees in the woods for a change of scenery.
“It’s nice that it is open again. We like coming here because it’s peaceful. You can, you know, enjoy your coffee and go for a walk,” Pagliarulo said.
Desjadon said that he enjoys the Lynn Woods’ serenity and nature, but that he wishes the public would put more effort into keeping it clean and safe. He said that he often sees people burning fires in the reservation, even though open flames are strictly prohibited.
“It’s a really beautiful part. We’re lucky to have this in the city, once you go in it’s kind of like you’re not even around the city — you don’t hear the roads.” Desjadon said. “People aren’t really taking the best care of it. You know, we usually sit at one of the picnic tables just relax for a little while after a walk, and there’s so much garbage around. We do what we can to pick it up on the way out, but a lot of people are not treating this place right.”
Although, as of Friday, the reservation is open to the public, Lynn Fire officials said certain areas remain closed to visitors. Cornel Path, Boulder Path, and Richardson Path between Stone Tower and Cornel Path are all off-limits to visitors due to the risk of trees in those areas falling from burn damage.
District Chief Joseph Zukas said the state has marked damaged trees with brightly-colored tape.
“Those areas have some trees that were damaged from the fire, the root systems under the trees, and chunks of the trees,” Zukas said. “The state has marked those trees, there’s either yellow or red tape around them, and the DPW is going to try to go in there and take those down.”
Zukas said although state and local officials believe the fires are currently extinguished, there remains a possibility that underground fires will pop up again in the future.
“It appears to be extinguished, but [state fire officials] did warn us, it could go underground, and at any time, it might pop up. That’s why I want people to be safe in the woods, no outside fires, and be careful smoking cigarettes,” Zukas said. “Hopefully the worst is past us, and we haven’t had any reports of the fires since Friday, so hopefully, we’re out of the woods.”
Anthony Cammalleri can be reached at [email protected]
