Three small fires occurred in West Hartford over the weekend, and officials are asking the community to exercise extreme caution.

By Ronni Newton

The fire risk in Connecticut remains at very high to extreme level, and West Hartford’s Office of Emergency Management is urging the community to heed warnings and remain vigilant.

Gov. Ned Lamont declared a State of Emergency last week, and that remains in effect with very little – if any – rain expected to fall over the next week to alleviate what the governor called “tinderbox” conditions during a press briefing on Monday afternoon.

Several days ago, Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) implemented a ban on the the use of outdoor grills, firepits, campfires, etc. at all state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas. The burn ban remains in effect until further notice.

In a message sent to West Hartford Listserv subscribers on Monday, the Office of Emergency Management said there were three small fires that occurred in town over the weekend: “a brush fire that was quickly contained, leaves on fire in a catch basin, and a grass fire that spread to the side of a garage.”

In the case of the latter, the homeowner, with the assistance of the West Hartford Fire Department, was able to extinguish the blaze before significant damage occurred.

The weather forecast for Halloween, Thursday, Oct. 31, includes unusually high temperatures as well as potentially high wind gusts of up to 25 mph, officials said. “Residents are reminded to remain cautious and vigilant with any outdoor activities involving fire or sparks,” and that includes lighting jack-o-lanterns.

Officials urge residents to call 911 immediately in the event of any fire or smoke.

Additional preventative actions recommended by the Office of Emergency Management include:

• Be particularly careful with smoking materials to avoid accidentally starting a fire.
• Refrain from activities that can cause fires, such as grilling and fire pits. Never leave an outdoor grill or fire pit unattended.
• Never park your vehicle over grass or dry leaves.
• If you have a trailer on your vehicle, make sure the chains don’t drag on the ground while driving and spark a fire.
• No fireworks.

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