Governor Declares State of Emergency Due to Fire Conditions

By Michelle Rappaport

October 28 @ 2:00 pm

Gov. Ned Lamont declared a state of emergency Friday as a result of dry and windy weather conditions, which raised the threat of brush fires as first responders continued to battle a fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin and Meriden.

In a press release, Lamont said that two months of dry conditions and minimal rainfall had raised the chances of additional fires, even as crews worked to extinguish flames at Lamentation Mountain.

“The filing of this declaration will help provide state and local emergency management officials with the necessary tools to monitor and limit the threat of potential fires, respond to active fires, and respond to any additional fires that may start,” Lamont said. “We are strongly urging all Connecticut residents to avoid any type of outdoor burning as the current conditions pose a high risk of fire danger.”

Weather forecasts expected the dangerous conditions to persist for at least the next several days. Last week, the National Weather Service issued several fire advisories including a Red Flag Warning advising residents of the fire conditions.

Meanwhile, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection issued a statewide burn ban on Saturday. The order prohibited firepits, campfires, and outdoor grills at all state parks and forests as a result of the ongoing conditions.

Environmental officials also called on Connecticut residents to be aware that even a small spark can lead to wildfires given the ongoing dry environment. DEEP urged residents to be careful with discarded smoking materials, ATVs and UTVs without spark arresters, and trailers that drag chains, in addition to other equipment that can generate sparks or heat.

“These conditions represent a real and immediate threat to communities across Connecticut,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a press release. “We need every resident and visitor to understand that their actions directly impact the safety of their neighbors, firefighters, and natural areas.”

The warnings come as emergency crews battled the Hawthorne Fire, which had been ongoing since Oct. 21, spread over 100 acres, and claimed the life of Wethersfield Volunteer Firefighter Rober Sharkevich Sr., who died in the line of duty while working to extinguish the brush fire.
Lamont ordered flags to half-staff in honor of Sharkevich last week.

“His selfless dedication to public service and the safety of his community and the surrounding towns is nothing less than heroic,” the governor said of Sharkevich. “On behalf of the people of Connecticut, I thank him for the service he has provided to our state, and I extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues in the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department and Hartford Fire Department.”