Connecticut National Guard Assists with Hawthorne Brush Fire | Article

BERLIN, Connecticut – Forty airmen, firefighters and support personnel from the Connecticut National Guard were activated to assist local and state emergency personnel to contain a brush fire that consumed more than 120 acres of wildlife on Lamentation Mountain on October 23.

This is the first time in nearly 30 years that the Connecticut National Guard has been activated for this type of emergency in the state.

“The last time we saw water drops in the air was in 1995,” said Maj. Gen. Francis Evon, adjutant general of the Connecticut National Guard. “We are proud of Connecticut’s Home Team. Our members have received training both in the United States and abroad to do this. “They stepped up and volunteered to step forward to help our first responders.”

The Lamentation Mountain fire, more commonly referred to as the Hawthorne fire, is just one of 93 brush and wildfires actively burning in Connecticut, which is facing a severe drought.

“This is the worst drought since we have recorded droughts going back to 1905,” Lamont said. “This means our state is a tinderbox. Everything is incredibly flammable. “Whenever a dry leaf falls, it is fuel for the flames.”

Wildfires are fairly common in Connecticut, but they are not used to extremely dry conditions, according to Berlin Fire Chief John Massirio.

“There are fires every year in Connecticut; “I’ve never been into this drought index,” Massirio said. “Based on their investigation, it appears that this was not malicious in any way. It looks like someone was camping or hiking there. I lit a fire, put it out, but it didn’t catch any ashes, and that’s what started the fire.”

Governor Lamont declared a state of emergency on October 25 due to extreme drought and lack of precipitation in the near future.

“Over the past two months, Connecticut has experienced severely dry conditions and a lack of rain, increasing fire danger and sparking numerous fires across the state,” Lamont said. “Submitting this declaration will help provide state and local emergency management officials with the tools necessary to monitor and limit potential fire threats, respond to active fires, and respond to additional fires that may start. Because current conditions pose a high risk of fire danger, all Connecticut residents are encouraged to stay outdoors.” “We strongly urge people to avoid fire.”

The firefighting units of the Connecticut National Guard were halted on November 1 after dropping 223 buckets, totaling nearly a quarter million gallons of water. Staff on the ground helped clear debris and put out spot fires across the mountain to control its spread.

Although their mission is complete, fires around the state are still burning. Crews arrived from as far away as Quebec, Canada and California to battle the flames. But as red flag warnings emerge across the state, the Connecticut Guard is again ready to assist our communities if a call for help is called.