By Sharon Challenger.
(July 20, 2022) A heat advisory has been issued for Connecticut residents today. Temperatures along with high humidity will make it feel like 100 degrees.
Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEEP) Daily Forest Fire Danger report can be found here: https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Forestry/Forest-Fire/Forest-Fire-Danger-Report
The forest fire danger level for Wednesday, July 20, 2022 is MODERATE
Safety Information
If you visit Connecticut’s parks, forests and open spaces, Please use fires with caution and heed the following DEEP recommendations especially during forest fire season:
- Obey local laws regarding open fires, including campfires.
- Keep all flammable objects away from fire. Scrape away leaves, twigs, and grass within a 10-foot diameter circle from fire.
- Have firefighting tools nearby and handy.
- Never leave a fire unattended.
- Carefully dispose of hot charcoal.
- Drown all fires.
- Carefully extinguish smoking materials.
Tips for Connecticut homeowners
- 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.
- Do not 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 do not 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. Calmly tell the emergency dispatcher when you saw it and where you saw it. If you see anything suspicious at or near the scene of the fire, take note and relay that to 911 as well. Stay on the telephone until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.
To get updates on the fire danger, please call 860-424-3929.
Safety Information provided by CT DEEP
