Connecticut residents warned of fire danger
The National Weather Service and state environmental officials are warning Connecticut residents of a heightened fire danger on Saturday afternoon.
In a news release, the NWS said, “sunny conditions combined with breezy winds to 20 mph and the ongoing extremely dry conditions will result in elevated fire weather potential” Saturday afternoon. The NWS forecast breezes of about 15 mph for the New London area Saturday afternoon, but light and variable winds between 5 and 10 mph on Sunday.
Gov. Ned Lamont has declared much of the state is in a Stage 2 drought. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is urging residents to use “extra caution and follow all regulations when open burning,” such as when using a fire pit or having a campfire.
Tips include:
- Keep all flammable objects — including leaves, twigs, grass and other materials and items — at least 10 feet away from the fire.
- Never leave a fire unattended.
- Have firefighting tools close at hand.
- When you are finished, drown the fire in water and stir until materials are no longer smoking.
- Carefully dispose of hot charcoal, coals and ashes.
Residents can find tips for protecting their property from forest fires at bit.ly/connffpt.
It was unclear whether the fire warning would be extended or not, James Fowler, a DEEP spokesman, said Saturday. “This will depend on forecasted winds and what the relative humidity does,” he said.
Breezy conditions were expected to improve after Saturday but conditions will remain dry, Gary Lessor, of the Meteorological Studies and Weather Center at Western Connecticut State University, said by phone Saturday afternoon.
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