Berlin Brush Fire: Blaze Enters 2nd Week As Hero Is Laid To Rest

BERLIN/WETHERSFIELD/HARTFORD, CT — As the massive "Hawthorne Fire" on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin continued to burn into its second week Monday, local firefighters said goodbye to one of their own.

Berlin's fire department and several departments in the area have battled the inferno, caused by an abandoned campfire on Oct. 21, for several days nonstop.

So far, the fire is believed to have burned 100 to 125 acres of land depending on various estimates, with the fire still confined to unpopulated areas of town and not required any evacuations.

Firefighters continue to hold the line, with the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department posting spectacular air images of the blaze's impact and its proximity to one local neighborhood.

Here is the latest:

• Funeral services for fallen Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr. took place Monday at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, 140 Farmington Ave., Hartford, followed by interment at Rose Hill Memorial Park, 580 Elm St., Rocky Hill.

This came after calling hours for Sharkevich took place Sunday, Oct. 27, at Farley-Sullivan Funeral Homes, 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield.

Sharkevich, 66, was killed Tuesday, Oct. 22, after a WVVFD utility vehicle specially designed for battling forest fires overturned during firefighting operations.

His death prompted an outpouring of tributes about his decades-long firefighting career as well as the hazards all responders face while serving their communities.

Last Thursday, a GoFundMe page was set up to help the family of Sharkevich Sr.

For fallen Wethersfield firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr.'s obituary, click on this link.

To donate to help the family of fallen Wethersfield firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr., click on this link.

For comprehensive coverage of Monday's funeral, click on WFSB Channel 3 via this link.

• The BVFD Sunday paid kudos to the Maine Forest Rangers unit for their work since last week in fighting the blaze from the air.

"Maine Forest Rangers are not only providing water drops, they have also been assisting the efforts by utilizing their Bell for morning recon flights," wrote the BVFD over the weekend.

"Command staff gather information on growth, activity, and smoke conditions to formulate tactical objectives or identify safety concerns."

The BVFD posted photos taken from Maine helicopters that show, exactly, the impact on the mountain and the line between the fire and the nearest residences.

Berlin fire officials said Main and Connecticut National Guard units have been coordinating efforts to douse the fire with water from nearby Silver Lake.

"We can't thank them enough for their assistance on Lamentation Mountain as well as responses to other towns across the state," wrote the BVFD.

• The BVFD also feted Connecticut National Guard units for their assistance.

In addition to air support, the Guard also brought in large equipment and trucks able to travers the difficult, hilly terrain on the mountain.

"Yesterday the CT National Guard came in to assist with the Hawthorne Fire. The large equipment was invaluable to help with the fire fighting efforts," wrote the BVFD.

"Again big thanks to our community for the outpouring of support in many ways from food to helping with logistics."

• A major Connecticut media event since it started, the Berlin brush fire will now only be subject to one daily briefing by DEEP.

Over the weekend, DEEP said that the briefing would likely come late evening or early at night.

Prior, DEEP was hosting as many as three or four briefings a day as the fire raged.

Fire history

The first reports of the blaze started coming in from area residents at about 5:44 p.m. Monday, Oct. 21 at Lamentation Mountain State Park in Berlin/Meriden.

Firefighters with Berlin and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Wildfire Division are among several units battling the fire.

In addition, firefighters from Newington, Wethersfield, Rocky Hill, Cromwell, Westfield, Southington, and Meriden are also assisting.

DEEP has been posting regular press briefings on its Facebook page to update the media/public on the fire. They can be found at this link.

From Oct. 25: 'Berlin Brush Fire: Services Set For FF, Emergency Declared: UPDATE'

From Oct. 24: 'Berlin Brush Fire: Firefighters Unite To 'Slay The Dragon': UPDATE'

From Oct. 23: 'Wethersfield Community Mourns Loss Of Beloved Firefighter'

From Oct. 22: 'Berlin Brush Fire: Firefighter Mourned As Blaze Still Burns: UPDATE'