Area firefighters, plagued this month by brush fires because of arid conditions, spell relief R-A-I-N.

`` It definitely relives a lot of our problem. It was just so dry. The lay person just doesn't realize how dangerous that can be,'' Wrentham Fire Chief Robert Morrill said Monday.

After suspending permitted burning recently because of dry ground conditions and strong winds, fire officials issued burning permits again Sunday. Burning season ends May 1.

The Attleboro water department measured 1.04 inches of rain as of 8 a.m. Monday.

The total rainfall for the month so far is 2.49 inches, still well below the average of 4 inches for April. `` It's great. It will certainly help,'' said Norton Fire Chief Richard Gomes. `` It seems like it was a good soaking rain, so it will have some advantages there.''

However, Gomes cautioned, all it takes is two to four hours on a breezy day to dry the surface of the ground to make conditions ripe again for brush fires.

`` But it was a positive effect in the short term,'' Gomes said.

Last month was the driest March on record, with just .39 inch of rain recorded in Attleboro.

The forecast for the Attleboro area calls for more rain Tuesday night, possible a thundershower, before the sun returns on Wednesday, according to AccuWeather.