Several Brush Fires Ignite Amid Dry Conditions

By Andrew Gorosko

Amid dry ground conditions during recent days, volunteer firefighters were busy putting out several brush fires, the types of blazes that often occur in rugged areas not easily accessible by fire trucks.

On Saturday, April 10, at about 3:55 pm, firefighters learned of a brush fire burning amid rugged terrain in an undeveloped area lying between Hanover Road and Parmalee Hill Road. The fire call was reported from 95 Hanover Road.

Newtown Hook & Ladder Fire Chief Jason Rivera said the blaze was a relatively large brush fire, covering more than seven acres.

Hook & Ladder, Sandy Hook, Hawleyville, Dodgingtown, Botsford, and Southbury firefighters mobilized. About 40 firefighters went to the scene, Chief Rivera said.

The fire occurred “deep in the woods,” making extinguishing the blaze difficult, he said. Firefighters gained access to the blaze from 95 Hanover Road and from the Parmalee Hill Road area. The blaze was burning more than 1,000 feet away from the nearest paved road, Chief Rivera said.

The terrain held both swampy areas and steep slopes, making for very difficult access to the fire scene, he said.

Firefighters needed to cut down some trees adjacent to a trail in the woods to provide sufficient clearance for fire trucks to get to the fire, he said.

Also, loads of crushed stone were placed in some wet areas to allow fire vehicles to later return from the fire, he said. More than ten fire trucks were used at the blaze, Chief Rivera said.

Firefighters spent almost four hours on the scene, he said. No firefighters were injured. The blaze was fought in warm, dry, breezy conditions. The winds caused the fire to spread, he said.

“This was a pretty significant brush fire,” Chief Rivera said. The fire remained a considerable distance away from houses, he said.

Deputy Fire Marshal Rich Frampton said the cause of the brush fire remains undetermined. The fire occurred near an area where people reportedly drive all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

Also, at 7:52 pm on April 10, Hawleyville firefighters were dispatched to a report of a brush fire called in from 3 Saw Mill Road.

On Sunday, at about 3:13 pm, Sandy Hook firefighters responded to a report of a brush fire in the area near Narragansett Trail and the end of Miya Lane.

Sandy Hook, Hook & Ladder, and Botsford firefighters mobilized.

Sandy Hook Assistant Fire Chief Anthony Capozziello explained that westerly winds caused the fire to spread from the end of Miya Lane toward Narragansett Trail, resulting in the blaze charring about 3½ acres of terrain. The fire caused the lower sections of some pine trees to burn, he said.

The fire occurred in an area with steep terrain. About 20 firefighters responded to the scene. Firefighters spent about two hours there, extinguishing the blaze. No firefighters were injured.

The cause of that fire remains undetermined, Mr Frampton said. That fire occurred near a walking trail, he noted.

At 4:32 am on Tuesday, Sandy Hook firefighters were called to put out yet another brush fire.

A passerby noticed and reported the fire burning atop a tall overlook that rises vertically out of the terrain just south of the intersection of Pole Bridge Road and Bancroft Road in the Riverside section.

Assistant Chief Capozziello said that the fire charred about two acres. About 15 firefighters responded to the scene to put out the blaze. Firefighters extended a firehose up a very steep slope to extinguish the blaze, which was burning low to the ground, he said. Firefighters spent about two hours at the scene.

Mr Frampton said that some unknown people who had been atop the overlook that night apparently had built a fire in a fire pit there. The fire later spread out of the pit and scorched the surrounding terrain, he said.