Fire crews work battle multiple brush fires

(WFSB) – Brush fires continued to burn in multiple Connecticut communities early Tuesday morning.

Dry, warm conditions created favorable conditions, and crews in many local communities have been busy responding to numerous calls.

On Monday, Vernon’s Fire Department received a call around 2:30 p.m. about a fire near Reservoir Road, in the northeast part of town, just south of I-84.

It spread about nine acres and was contained in a field, and no homes were damaged, or injuries were reported.

Reservoir Road was closed for several hours while firefighters worked to control the situation, but residents were allowed to check on their properties once the area was deemed safe.

Mutual aid was requested from nearby towns, including Coventry, Tolland, and Ellington, to assist in controlling the fire.

Firefighters worked to keep hot spots under control until the fire was officially declared out at 5:30 p.m.

A wildfire team from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection surveyed the scene and assured that the fire wouldn’t spread further.

While Vernon Emergency Medical Technicians evaluated two firefighters at the scene, neither required hospitalization, officials said.

Firefighters from Bolton, Coventry, Ellington, Tolland, and Willington joined forces to battle the fire. At the same time, crews from South Windsor and the Broad Brook section of East Windsor staffed Vernon’s fire station during the incident.

The Vernon Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

Late Monday afternoon, another brush fire broke out in Berlin.

Around 6 p.m., a multi-acre brush fire was visible on Lamentation Mountain from miles away.

The Berlin fire chief indicated that it could take two to three days to control this fire fully due to its mountainous location, accessible only by hiking and ATV trails.

Residents Mark and Madison Kelbacher expressed their surprise, saying, “Not in Connecticut, I’ve never seen a fire before, it’s crazy. This is a little bit scary, and I am shocked that it’s so close to home.”

No evacuations were necessary, and no homes were in immediate danger.

DEEP is on-site to assist with the Berlin fire, which is expected to require ongoing attention overnight.

Areas around Sea Green Drive and Rosewood Drive will maintain fire apparatus presence as a precaution.

A no-fly restriction has been put in place in the area, and officials are asking the public to refrain from parking nearby or on the Berlin Turnpike.

This incident is part of a larger trend, as several brush fires have been reported in the region over the past week, including blazes in Wethersfield, Burlington, Southington, and Thompson.