Several wildfires and brush fires have cropped up in the last week, thanks in part to the dry and windy conditions.

The state's Department of Conservation and Recreation said in the last seven days, there have been 73 fires across the Commonwealth, with several in the central Massachusetts region. Chief Fire Warden David Celino said roughly 287 acres of land have been burned as a result.

Celino said Massachusetts has had almost 700 fires, which isn't uncommon in the northeast. But he said last year's drought conditions have played a role in many of the fires.

"What the anomaly is this year, and what we're seeing in the last week, is that the larger fuels like dead stumps, eight to ten inch logs, storm damage blowdown that's been sitting there through the last drought, for the last several flash droughts, are super dry," Celino said. "And we think that's a carry over effect from, especially, the 2022 drought conditions."

Celino said 98% of wildfires are caused by humans. He said there are a number of causes including improper burning and cigarettes.