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Fens on fire again

Fens on fire

Flaming Fens. Photo by Amanda McNeil.

The reeds right behind the Boston Fire Department's dispatch center are burning like there's no tomorrow.

The Fens last caught on fire last Friday.

Right behind the Victory Gardens (photo by Andrew Ferreira):

Fenway fire
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Comments

If the reeds in the Fenway are always going up in flames, is there any reason to keep them? Could something better be done with the open land instead, like expanded community garden?

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The problem with that area is that it's almost marsh behind the gardens. There's a small grassy area between the marsh and the gardens with a few picnic tables. To extend the gardens wouldn't really help much since you can't take over the marshland since it's so damp. It would be hard to do.

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How does a wet place keep catching on fire?

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But the reeds dry out once they get above the water line. Which is the source of fuel for the fire.

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"When I tell you to dump a body in the marsh, you dump the body IN the marsh . Not where some guy from John Hancock goes every Thursday to get a fucking blowjob!" - Jack Nicholson, The Departed.

Please extinguish your cigarettes carefully, guys.

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From the sounds of it, the cause of this may have been a little more nefarious than a tossed butt.

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Somehow.

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n/t

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Will Governor Baker please instruct MassDEP to get their head out of their posteriors and grant the Boston Parks Department permission to MOW THE PHRAGMITIES AS AN INVASIVE SPECIES?

This is a major safety issue and it is ridiculous that for 40+ years the state has refused to allow the city to do anything about the problem short of passing it off the Feds to fix.

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This happens every spring. Some say it's an arsonist against the reeds, some say it is a pro cruising crowd burning to keep the reeds growing strong, still others think it's a secret fire department annual drill.

Seems to not be an annual accident. This annual fire always occurs in early spring when the water table is mostly too high for butt fires.

There is a federal plan to dig out the phragmites. It's moving up the bank of the muddy river, Charlesgate has a completed portion of the banks cleared.

The phragmites roots go 10 feet down or more. The bottom of the muddy river is a toxic mix of heavy metals from early 19th century factories upstream.

The project is complicated and expensive, support is divided among interested groups.

It will be beautiful when it's finished and Fenway neighborhood groups are always working to push through a plan, the plans are always delayed.

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There are no funds currently allocated to finishing the restoration of the Muddy River project. It was blocked at the federal level under Bush.

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I said it before: I much prefer to remove a bit of ash off my windowsill once a year to having the Army Corps dig every night for three years next to my bed. It's been going on for three years without impunity, and I can't believe that any community member would want it perpetuated.

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we need more wireless stores and high rise condos!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Don't forget banks!

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We must all look our best.

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"Authentic" Irish pubs too!

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Anything built there must include a Dunkin' Donuts!!! It's mandatory.

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Don't forget a CVS!

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Walgreen's.

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