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

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

Dave Celino, chief fire marshal for the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, said colorful falling leaves add fuel to what could easily become a wildfire in dry weather.

“We’re seeing higher than average temperatures, low humidity, dry air masses and now, in the last few days, we’re starting to see intermittent wind events, which are helping to increase the spread,” Celino said.

He said it’s not unusual for Massachusetts to have a fall fire season.

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

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

“You can smell it, you can see the ground a little charred,” Lussier said, “with the wind you would be afraid the tree would come down on you over the fire.”

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

“Any cigarette butt, any spark in these fuels is likely to cause some kind of ignition. The other problem in the fall is that people light their wood stoves on fire and start to burn, so be very careful how you dispose of those materials. “

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