GREAT BARRINGTON — Fire crews overnight have been monitoring a slow-moving, but growing 100-acre wildfire on East Mountain, a remote and forested area, that appears to have started around midnight Tuesday. No injuries have been reported.
Authorities said the wildfire poses no immediate threat to public property, but they urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid the area. Authorities have named it the Butternut Fire. About 50 to 75 crew members were on the ground with another 20 working at the incident command center.
"Though the fire looks very dangerous to the general public, it is not," said Ryan Brown, the Lee fire chief who led a morning press conference at the Great Barrington Fairgrounds area.
Fire crews were stationed at areas to ensure no structures are threatened.
No evacuation orders have been set.
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, smoke continued to rise over the mountain to the east of downtown. The wildfire was burning trees and ground clutter; firefighters had not actively begun fighting the fire because the area is difficult to access, but scouts and drones were monitoring the wildfire's progress. Accessing the area requires hiking on foot, according to authorities at the Great Barrington Fire Station.
Multiple agencies, including the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, were on the scene and monitoring the situation.
Another angle of the fire, which authorities have named the Butternut Fire.Photo by Stephen P. Willig, courtesy of The Berkshire Eagle
The fire comes as a severe drought in the region and across the state has increased the risk of wildfire.
Authorities have been warning the public against any outdoor fires or anything that might cast a spark. Massachusetts is in a so-called Red Flag Warning, the highest warning level for wildfire potential because of dry conditions, wind and warm temperatures.
A Great Barrington Fire Department spokesperson said firefighters are using a drone to help determine the extent of the fire.
Ryan Brown, the Lee fire chief who is handling public information, said the terrain is difficult and that the vegetation is dry. Brown said that a tornado came through the area several years ago and left a lot of ground clutter that may be fueling the wildfire.
"The rain the other day did not help," Brown said.
The rate of the fire's spread was about 60 feet per hour, Brown said.
As of 7:45 a.m., the Great Barrington Fire Department was deploying resources to address the situation. Structural firefighting crews have been strategically staged in case their support is required.
Fire Chief Scott Turner and Police Sargent Adam Carlotto are working closely with Town Manager Mark Pruhenski to coordinate efforts, according to a news release sent by the town.
This wildfire adds to the more than 500 fires reported across Massachusetts since Oct. 1.
The Brookside Bridge, which had been closed to traffic for structural reasons, was re-opened on Tuesday morning to provide emergency access and resident safety due to the East Mountain fire in Great Barrington.
As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, smoke continued to rise over the mountain to the east of downtown.Photo by Ben Garver, The Berkshire Eagle
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Co-owner Lenore Mallett
The Colonial Theatre has been a part of North Canaan’s downtown since 1923. Its latest chapter began in 2023 when Lenore and Mark Mallett joined Dave and Stacy Fiorillo to purchase the long-vacant building with a vision of restoring it as a gathering place.
“We wanted to pay honor to its past,” Lenore Mallett said. “It was such a lovely gathering space for so long that we all felt a calling to bring that back to the community because it’s such a gem and it should be shared.
The owners’ vision was clear – revive the building’s exterior and get people in the doors.
Their first order of business was to provide the theater with what they described as a much-needed facelift.
From the street, the building appeared neglected, Mallett said. Peeling paint and a faded marquee masked an interior that she said was surprisingly well preserved after a major renovation in the early 2000s.
Focusing on curb appeal, they repaired the marquee, painted the whole building, and brought back some of the “vibrancy.”
The result, Mallett said, was a transformation that brought a diverse range of vendors, renters and tenants to the building and its two first-floor retail spaces. Since reopening, the building has housed a bakery, a photography studio and a children’s arts and crafts center while hosting movie nights, birthday parties and private events.
A collection of posters and newspaper clippings.Photo by Aly Morrissey
The history
The Colonial Theatre’s history is as interesting and diverse as the many nooks and crannies within the building itself.
Built in 1923 by hotelier Seth Moseley as a gift for his wife, the building was originally known as “The Casino.”
Mallett said his wife often traveled from New Haven and grew bored of rural living, prompting Moseley to build her a three-level entertainment space.
“Downstairs had the bowling alley, the main floor had the theater, and upstairs was a dance hall,” Mallett said, adding that the main floor had air conditioning, a rare luxury at the time.
The bowling alley had eight alleys and advertised a “fully equipped soda and snack shop to refresh you.”
The Casino was sold in 1929 to businessman Anthony Boscardin, who modernized the building, changed its name, and created the art-deco interior that The Colonial Theatre is still known for today.
Old ticket stubs can still be found in the attic showing movies that cost between 15 and 25 cents during the early days.
The theater struggled financially and closed in 1997. After undergoing a roughly $1 million renovation in the early 2000s, it shuttered its doors in 2010 and remained closed for a decade until the Mallett and Fiorillo families purchased it.
The future
Although the owners are ready to step aside, they hope the building’s next chapter builds on the foundation they’ve laid.
“We think the next steward, if they came in and were passionate about entertainment or food and beverage, this could certainly get taken to the next level,” Mallett said.
The theater will continue to operate with its regularly scheduled sponsored movies and private events while the owners search for a buyer.
“We’ve greased the wheels,” Mallett said. “We opened the doors, launched the business, created a website and built a booking and ticketing system. We have all the nuts and bolts, so if there was someone willing to take it on, it could really be something special.”
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