UTICA — Multiple fire departments worked throughout the afternoon on Monday to douse some brush fires in the Utica Marsh, according to the Maynard Fire Department.

"There were several fires, of differing sizes," explained Maynard Assistant Fire Chief Randal Caldwell on Tuesday.

"Even when you knock it down, there's still some hot spots."

The alarm was raised at about 1:30 p.m. for multiple fires in the Utica Marsh area off Barnes Avenue, at the border of Utica and Marcy. Firefighters from both the Utica and Maynard fire departments responded, with assistance from the Deerfield Fire Department.

"It's very dry down there," Caldwell noted, adding that Maynard had doused some brush fires in the area on Sunday as well.

He said crews used portable water tanks and multiple hose lines to put out the fires. He said they were able to use their fire engines when they stayed on the pavement, and had some off-road vehicles to assist. Caldwell said firefighters remained on site for several hours.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, the chief said.

"It's very hard to tell right now," he noted.

Caldwell said there are no signs so far that the fires were intentionally set. He said local law enforcement agencies are assisting in the investigation.

A statewide burn ban is still in effect for another week because the first weeks and months of spring are known to be dry and windy, leading to multiple brush fires each year.