Rocky Neck State Park Closed Due To Brush Fire

EAST LYME, CT — Rocky Neck State Park in East Lyme closed on Saturday as firefighters worked to extinguish a brush fire, according to officials and reports.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection announced the closure shortly before noon.

According to a WFSB report citing Deputy Chief Erik Quinn of the East Lyme Fire Department, crews were having difficulties accessing the blaze due to the terrain. Weather was also hindering firefighting efforts, NBC Connecticut reported.

Authorities did not release details about the size of the duration of the closure.

The closure came amid a statewide burn ban that has been in place since last weekend. The ban includes the use of outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, as well as kindling and use of flame outdoors in all state parks, forests, and wildlife management areas.

On Oct. 25, Gov. Ned Lamont also issued a state of emergency due to critical fire weather conditions throughout Connecticut, as well as the continued response to the Hawthorne Fire located at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin and Meriden.

“Over the last two months, Connecticut has experienced severely dry conditions and lack of rain, which has increased the threat of fire conditions and caused several fires to start throughout the state,” Lamont said. "We are strongly urging all Connecticut residents to avoid any type of outdoor burning as the current conditions pose a high risk of fire danger."