'Cooking accident' to blame for Mass. brush fire, alleged arsonist's attorney says

The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox.

A man accused of setting a brush fire in Milford, Massachusetts, appeared in court Monday.

Devonte Johnson, 28, was arrested Saturday morning after a brush fire that damaged townland on West Street.

A man later identified as Johnson was arrested after he fled from the scene following a short pursuit, police said.

Johnson's attorney said his client is homeless and the fire was not intentional. He said it was a "cooking accident."

The fire was extinguished quickly by the Milford Fire Department. In court, the defense attorney said Johnson has ties to Dorchester but was living in the area of West Street in Milford, where the fire started.

He said Johnson ran from the scene because he was afraid of getting burned.

Johnson was held on $500 bail.

The Department of Conservation and Recreation said dry conditions in Massachusetts are conducive to fires starting and spreading quickly.

"We want folks to understand that every day that we go without rain and these extra dry conditions, above average temperatures that we are going to see this week, we increase the risk of an easy spark starting a wildland fire," DCR Fire Warden Chief David Celino said.

Officials said 106 wildfires have burned more than 600 acres during the last week.

All 42 fire watch towers are staffed to keep a close eye on fires and get resources to where they are needed.