Glastonbury Firefighters Battle Brush Fire Sunday Night

The Portland CT Fire Department, along with Middletown, Westfield, Glastonbury and East Hampton, battled a fast-moving brush fire in the CT State Forest Sunday evening.

"Calls started flooding in around 5 p.m., for the large volume of smoke visible from as far away as Farmington," Portland firefighters said. "The fire was contained in approximately three hours, with crews working to extinguish hot spots until about 10 p.m."

Fifteen acres were burned.

"The state DEEP forestry division is remaining on scene to monitor the situation through out the night," firefighters aid. "Thank you to all our mutual aid companies."

According to the state DEEP, the forest fire danger is high.

Forest Fire Prevention Tips

The DEEP's Forest Fire Control Office urges all who enjoy the use of Connecticut's parks, forests and open spaces, to use fires with caution and heed the following recommendations especially during forest fire season:

• Obey local laws regarding open fires, including campfires;
• Keep all flammable objects away from fire;
• Have firefighting tools nearby and handy;
• Carefully dispose of hot charcoal;
• Drown all fires;
• Carefully extinguish smoking materials.

For Connecticut homeowners, the following steps are suggested to protect your family members and home:

• Make a fire safe zone around your house. Clean flammable vegetation and debris from at least 30 feet around the house and any outbuildings;
• Prune away the lower limbs of evergreens that are within the fire safe zone. Evergreens catch fire easily during dry periods and burn quickly;
• Remove any limbs which overhang the roof or chimney;
• Regularly remove leaves and needles from gutters;
• Don't store firewood in the fire safe zone;
• Use fire resistant roofing materials;
• Make sure firefighters can find and access your home. Mark your house and roads clearly, and prune away limbs and trees along your driveway which don't allow fire truck access;
• Have an escape plan-- and practice it;
• Follow state and local open burning laws;
• Stay with outside fires until they are completely safe and dead out;
• Dispose of wood ashes in a metal bucket, soaking them with water before dumping them.

If you spot a forest fire, remain calm, go to the nearest telephone and dial 911 to report the fire as quickly as possible to your local fire department, the DEEP said. Calmly tell the emergency dispatcher when you saw it and where you saw it. Stay on the telephone until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.

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(Photos via Portland CT Fire Department)