Some people hiking in the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton on Thursday said they could smell smoke from a fire that burned two acres there Sunday afternoon and is still smoldering.

The National Weather Service is urging people in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut to be especially cautious because of an increased risk of wildfires there.

Dave Celino, chief fire warden for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, said colorful falling leaves are fuel for what can easily become a forest fire in dry weather.

“We are seeing above average temperatures, low humidity, dry air masses and in the last few days we are starting to see intermittent wind events that are helping to increase the speed of spread,” Celino said.

He said it's not unusual for Massachusetts to have a fire season in the fall.

“When we leave the summer season in a period of drought and suddenly start losing our canopy, those leaves fall to the ground and add fuel to the forest floor,” he said.

Betsy Lussier said she hikes almost every day at the Blue Hills Reservation in Milton.

“You can smell it, you can see how the ground is charred,” said Lussier, “With that wind you would be afraid that the tree above the fire would fall on you.”

Celino said it's up to everyone to do their part to prevent fires until there is much-needed rain.

“Every cigarette butt, every spark in these fuels is likely to cause some sort of ignition. The other problem in the fall is that people burn their wood stoves and start burning, so be very careful when disposing of these materials. “

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