AMHERST — A town resident allegedly attempted to set a pile of leaves on fire outside of a North Amherst home over the weekend, authorities said.
Officers were called to High Point Drive at 4:58 p.m. after the accused individual drove his tractor up to the home, dumped dry leaves near the residence and then tried to start a blaze by disposing of a cigarette butt, said Detective Nicholas Chandler.
The leaves never caught on fire. Instead, they briefly smoldered until the High Point Drive resident stomped them out. Chandler said the matter remains under investigation and charges could be filed.
Even though this incident did not spark a blaze, authorities have stayed busy fighting brush fires across the region, including one on Rocky Hill Road in Hadley near the town line with Amherst at 3:38 p.m. Saturday.
Amherst Assistant Fire Chief Lindsay Stromgren said an arcing wire from a telephone pole sparked that conflaguration. The fire scorched brush near Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium on the University of Massachusetts campus.
Stromgren said no burning permits have been issued to residents in recent days out of concern high winds might contribute to future brush fires.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.
