Dry brush bursts into flames along 128, dumps ash across region, disrupts train service

Big fire, viewed from the Neponset. Photo by Drew.

Firefighters in Boston and several nearby communities are battling brush fires that all seemed to erupt around the same time this evening, in Dedham, Milton, Norwood and Westwood - with the largest off Sprague and Hastings streets in Dedham, just past the Readville line, in a normally marshy area accessible only by the Northeast Corridor train tracks.

Jen reports:

Huge brush fire near route 128. Just went past it on the 5:40 from Boston. Was literally a wall of fire.

Sandy O'Keefe was on the same train:

Heat pouring into car. Terrifying. Life just flashed before eyes. Fire in brush near 128 mere feet away from train. Could feel heat from seat. We just missed it.

The T currently reports delays of more than an hour along the Providence line; at least one train is just sitting in Mansfield.

Gregory Adams reports ash fell on Roslindale. Ash also rained down on Jamaica Plain and Mattapan.

The smoke from the fire could be seen as far away as UMass Boston and Winthrop.

More photos in the comments below.