STOCKBRIDGE — A barn fire on Monday morning quickly spread to nearby trees and grass, but thankfully, fire officials say, the wind — or lack there of — was on their side.
The fire at 24 Glendale Road is likely to be ruled accidental, according to Stockbridge Fire Chief Vincent Garofoli, who was still at the scene in the early afternoon.
“The barn was fully involved and [the fire] had spread to two trees and grasslands nearby,” said Garofoli, who said his department responded to the scene around 9:15 a.m. “We were able to contain the fire to less than a tenth-of-an-acre, isolated to the barn — it’s a total loss.”
There was no property damage to the nearby house, and fortunately, winds were light at the time, he said.
Last week, The National Weather Service issued a rare Red Flag Warning for Berkshire County due to drought and abnormally dry conditions. The warning notes any fire that may develop will spread quickly and be difficult to extinguish due to the dry conditions and wind the county was experiencing at the time. Elevated fire concerns for the region are still in effect.
Mutual aid was provided by the Lee, Great Barrington, Lenox, West Stockbridge and Richmond fire departments.
The state fire marshal’s office, which responded to the scene, is handling the official investigation, and will release a report in the future, Garofoli said.