Crews are tackling fires all across Connecticut as the current dry weather continues to play a role. This includes the large Hawthorne Fire in Berlin, which has been burning for nearly two weeks now.
As day 13 draws to a close at the Hawthorne Fire in Berlin, fire officials on scene say they’ve made good progress with crews tackling hotspots in the southeast part of Lamentation Mountain. The fire is holding steady at 127 acres burned. Officials say there are plans to scale back some operations to begin the mop-up phase and they’re optimistic about fully containing this fire.
“It’s showing solid progress and there’s still a little bit of work to do up there over the next week or so, but all in all, Hawthorne Drive is looking very good,” Chief Jonn Massirio with the Berlin Fire Dept. said.
The dry weather still contributing to conditions ripe for new fires to start. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection says it’s monitoring 107 fires across Connecticut. State officials saying there’s no weather relief coming yet.
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“As this weather remains dry and windy, these fires are going to continue, and we will likely see this continue until we see some substantial rainfall,” Josh Cingranelli with the Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, said.
One significant fire burned about five acres at Rocky Neck Park in East Lyme on a hiking trail. DEEP says a contingent from the California Hotshots is there providing help with crews able to navigate the area to tackle any flames they see.
“They are fortunate enough to have the trail system down there at Rocky Neck that they’re using to help manage that fire,” James Fowler with DEEP said.
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With the fire danger still present state-wide, they’re asking people to mitigate any risk around their homes or property.
“Clearing the leaf fall that has been coming down and making sure that your yard is clear of that type of debris,” Chief Massirio said.
Fire officials are still urging people to follow the state burn bans that are in place and asking people to not have open flames in their backyards.
