New Fairfield Fire Marshal Chris Alward issued an important message Saturday night and asked our local meteorologists to share, underscoring the urgent need for caution as Connecticut continues to experience an elevated risk for wildfires.
“In the last 24hrs the New Fairfield Fire Department and the Office of the Fire Marshal have responded to 3 illegal fires in fire pits on private property. Tonight a video of a large bon fire was posted to the local FB page stating what a nice night for a fire… this is unacceptable.”
“These conditions are extremely dangerous right now,” Alward emphasized. “It only takes a small ember to start a large, uncontrolled fire, as we saw recently with the devastating blaze in Berlin, CT, which tragically claimed the life of a firefighter.”
To combat the ongoing threat, a statewide ban on all outdoor burning has been enacted by the Governor’s Office. Alward urges all residents to respect the ban and remain vigilant: “If anyone sees an outdoor fire of any kind, please call 911 immediately to report it.”
Adding to the urgency, Connecticut saw several more large, multi-acre brush fires yesterday. The most recent large fire, which smoldered overnight Saturday, is ongoing in North Haven.
Residents are encouraged to take these warnings seriously to help prevent further fires during this dry season and to protect both property and lives.
Credit: North Branford Fire on scene in North Haven
Brush Fire in North Haven, CT at Peter’s Rock Park
