Crews battle fire in Franklin, state imposes burn ban

Oct. 26 — The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection on Saturday imposed a statewide ban on open fires and grills in all state parks and forests due to a prolonged drought that has raised concerns of more wildfires.

The ban follows Gov. Ned Lamont’s declaration of a state of emergency on Friday due to a series of brush fires across the state last week. Due to low rainfall, the risk of fire is still high in the state.

Brush fires were reported Saturday on Beach Pond Road in Voluntown and in the Ayers Mountain area in Franklin. The fire, reported at 6 a.m. in Franklin, led to a temporary closure of part of Route 207 as crews from multiple towns trekked into a wooded area to fight the blaze.

State Emergency Management and the Department of Homeland Security helped fight the fire by sending a helicopter to drop water on areas with steep terrain that were nearly impossible for firefighters to access on foot, Franklin Emergency Management Director Bill Eyeberse said.

Eyeberse said the work of the helicopter and firefighters helped control the fire in an area of ​​4 to 6 acres. It was reported that the fire was under control at 11:00 in the morning. DEEP teams continued to monitor the area until Saturday afternoon. The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The burn ban issued Saturday prohibits the use of outdoor grills, fire pits, campfires and outdoor flames in all state parks, forests and wildlife management areas.

The burn ban is part of an effort to prevent new fires and is a proactive measure to prevent existing firefighting resources from being overloaded during a drought, DEEP said in a statement.

“These conditions pose a real and immediate threat to communities across Connecticut. We need every resident and visitor to understand that their actions directly impact the safety of their neighbors, firefighters, and natural areas,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a statement. he said. “Taking this step today could save lives.”

Firefighters continued to work on Saturday to extinguish the fire that covered more than 100 acres of land on Berlin’s Lamentation Mountain last week. Fire officials said the fire was likely started by a campfire that was not properly extinguished. Veteran Wethersfield firefighter Robert E. Sharkevich Sr., a 66-year-old married father of four, died this week when a utility vehicle rolled onto him on steep terrain while fighting a fire on Lamentation Mountain.

All open burning permits statewide have also been suspended until further notice. .

For more information about fire danger and preventing wildfires, visit the Fire Prevention page on the DEEP website or contact the DEEP fire danger hotline at 860-424-3929. For more information on today’s very high fire danger level, go here: Bushfire Danger Report.

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To reduce fire risks, the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection requires the following safety measures:

Lighting fires is prohibited in public areas: Do not use campfires, grills or other open flames. The ban announced today once again prohibits the use of outdoor grills, fire pits and campfires, as well as the use of outdoor kindling and flames, in all state parks, forests and wildlife management areas. This ban also includes smoking and using lighters outdoors.

Properly extinguish smoking materials: Make sure all cigarettes and similar items are completely extinguished before disposal.

Avoid equipment that can start fires: Avoid using ATVs, chainsaws, or other equipment in dry areas.

If you observe a wildfire, call 911 immediately and notify emergency responders of their location. Timely reporting is crucial to controlling fires before they spread further.