Firefighters in North Andover spent the day fighting a brush fire on Sunday, the latest of several brush fires which have appeared across Massachusetts amid the ongoing severe drought.The fire is continuing to burn across multiple acres near Boxford State Forest into Sunday evening, with police warning residents that they could see smokey conditions and that residents should avoid the Sharpner’s Pond area.According to the North Andover Fire Department, more than two dozen acres have burned, with some of the flames burning land very close to homes. Residents who live nearby said they are grateful for firefighters working all day in order to keep them safe.”We see them coming in, this close to our homes, making sure our properties stay safe… you’re blessed, that they’re local enough and talented enough to be able to do what they do. We’re lucky to have guys out there doing it on a day like this weekend,” resident Jim Blackwell said.The Air National Guard has been using helicopters to drop water on the flames throughout the day on Sunday.Residents nearby have been raking up leaves in an effort to stop the spread of the fire. North Andover currently has a ban on outdoor flames, including firepits, outdoor fireplaces and some outdoor cooking equipment.Although the red flag warning for heightened brush fire conditions issued by state officials expired at 6 p.m. on Sunday evening, brush fires in Lynn, Braintree and other communities across eastern Massachusetts have continued to burn for days.

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