Firefighters on Friday continued to work to contain a brush fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin.
The fire, now in its fifth day, is about 100 acres in size.
At times Thursday, the roar of firefighting helicopters was almost constant. The Connecticut National Guard was dousing the fire with large buckets of water carried by two of its helicopters, Maj. Mike Wilcox said.
"We were able to successfully dump 30,000 gallons or more of water onto the fires," Wilcox said.
The National Guard was using a large Chinook heavy-lift helicopter and a Sikorsky Blackhawk helicopter to carry water from nearby Silver Lake. A forest-fighting helicopter from Maine was also dumping water on the fire.
The fire still does not pose a danger to any buildings, officials said Thursday.
National Guard helicopters began dropping water on the fire Wednesday afternoon, Gov. Ned Lamont said on social media.
Firefighter funeral set for Monday
A Wethersfield firefighter and two others were injured Tuesday when a vehicle rolled over as they were battling the fire.
A funeral is set for Monday in Hartford for Robert Sharkevich Sr., a member of the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department and former member of the Hartford Fire Department.
Berlin Fire Chief John Massirio said Sharkevich was riding in a utility task vehicle on a trail when it rolled over near the Meriden town line. The cause was under investigation.
The two other firefighters were treated at a hospital for minor injuries and discharged, Massirio said.
Some firefighters were given time off following the death so they could have time to ground themselves, Massirio said.
"It's hard to keep a lot of the guys away after something like this," Massirio said. "They want to finish the job. That's what they're there for. And they want to do it to honor those we've lost. But it's important to recognize when there is a separation needed."
— Governor Ned Lamont (@GovNedLamont) October 23, 2024
The fire began Monday and crews have been working around the clock to contain and extinguish it. No evacuations have been ordered. The cause of the blaze is being investigated, officials said.
Earlier in the week, the fire had grown to about 125 acres. On Thursday, officials said the fire had gone down to about 107 acres in size. Wind and dry conditions could still test that containment.
Firefighters are hoping for heavy rain to douse the fire, but the forecast calls for dry conditions for the coming days.
Fires blaze in other parts of the state
As of Thursday evening, fire crews from the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said they were actively managing a number of fires across the state due to the unusally dry conditions.
- The Hawthorne Fire, on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, which is estimated at 107 acres.
- Cobble Road and Route 63 in Canaan, which is estimated at 2.8 acres, but likely contained.
- 183 Reservoir Rd. in Vernon (Tankerhoosen WMA), which is estimated at 9 acres and DEEP said was still active with fire personnel on scene maintaining perimeter.
- Weston Saugatuck Reservoir Island, which is estimated at 0.8 acres.
New fires were also burning in other parts of the state, DEEP said, including: Meriden Mountain, Burlington, East Granby, Tolland and Easton.
"Connecticut is experiencing unseasonably warm and dry conditions that have significantly increased the risk of wildfires across the state,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said in a statement. “The dry weather coupled with the accumulation of fallen leaves, creates the perfect conditions for fires to ignite and spread quickly. It’s critical for everyone to be aware of the heightened fire danger and to take precautions to prevent accidental fires during this vulnerable time."
No fly zone continues around Berlin fire
State and local fire crews urged residents to respect a no-fly zone that is in place around the Hawthorne Fire on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin.
"DEEP urges the public to cease the use of drones in the area," the agency wrote Thursday evening. "When drones are spotted visually or through the monitoring equipment in use, all aircraft conducting support are cleared from the airspace until the threat is removed. This hampers the operations, increases risk, and delays response."
On-the-ground crews rely on the aerial fire supression support to manage the fire and maintain fire lines, officials said.
Flags to half staff following firefighter's death
Meanwhile, Lamont directed flags in Connecticut to half staff following Sharkevich’s death, extending condolences to his family, friends and colleagues and thanking him for his service.
“His selfless dedication to public service and the safety of his community and the surrounding towns is nothing less than heroic,” Lamont said in a statement.
Fire departments across the state were posting their sympathies on social media.
Dykes, the DEEP commissioner, also shared her condolences in a statement.
“Firefighters, police, and emergency responders do heroic work every day, putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the people and the environment of our state. I’m extremely grateful to, and have a tremendous respect for, people like Firefighter Sharkevich, who answer the call to keep us all safe," she said.
Eversource monitoring nearby power lines
Electric utility Eversource says it has dispatched crews and is conducting aerial surveys to monitor the fire's impact on electric transmission lines and equipment in the area near the fire.
As of midday Wednesday, no electrical issues or power outages had been reported, according to the utility.
Eversource is conducting "ongoing aerial surveys on three of its high-voltage power lines, located approximately a mile and a half from where it is believed the fire originated," the company said in a statement.
"This large brush fire is in close proximity to our transmission lines, which are the backbone of the regional electric grid, and with winds expected to pick up, we’re not taking any chances,” said Eversource's Steve Sullivan, in a statement.
The utility says it has plans in place to redirect power to other lines, if needed.
Connecticut Public's Matt Dwyer, Kelsey Hubbard Rollinson, Patrick Skahill and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
