Crime & Safety
Smoke From Controlled Burn in Haddam May Be Visible Wednesday
A controlled burn will take place in Cockaponset State Forest in Haddam Wednesday, March 30.
The state of Connecticut is conducting a controlled burn in Cockaponset State Forest in the area of Turkey Hill Block, Compartment 17, West of Filley Road and South of Old County Road.
The controlled burn will begin at approximately 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 30. According to the state, the project is a 197-acre prescribed burn that will consume primarily leaf litter and downed branches.
In 2016, approximately 136 acres will be burned while the remaining acreage will be burned in 2017 or later. Repeat burns may be scheduled if acorn crops do not develop shortly after the burns. The proposed burn window is March 15th to May 15th.
The Youth Camp lean-tos nearest the burn and trails in and adjacent to the burn area will be closed only the day of the burn. The majority of the smoke is expected to clear within a few hours after completion of ignition.
"The intent is to partially promote the regeneration of an oak forest," the state said on its project page. "Oak forests are not sustaining themselves under current natural conditions. They were historically sustained after Native American fires, agricultural land abandonment, and clearcuts. The recent lack of these activities have allowed less ecologically valuable and shade tolerant birch, beech and maple to become entrenched in oak forests."
If the current trajectory were to continue, the state officials said the oak forests would eventually be displaced by other hardwoods.
"The slow displacement of oak forests (which are extremely valuable to wildlife) throughout the east has been called an 'impending ecological crisis'," according to the state.
The burn is expected to top-kill or weaken understory shrubs and birch, beech, and maple saplings while creating a good seedbed for acorn germination and shade sensitive oak seedling development.
"The larger oaks have thick bark which should minimize injury from low-intensity fires," according to the state.
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