Berlin Brush Fire: Optimism Sets In For Firefighters

BERLIN, CT — The massive Berlin brush fire on Lamentation Mountain is not out, but state officials gave their most optimistic briefing about where they stand with the blaze.

On Sunday, Ryan Hughes the operations section chief on the "Hawthorne Fire," said 50 percent of the blaze is "fire line secured," meaning half the fire is contained and unlikely to spread.

Hughes said "we have very little heat left in there" regarding the part of the fire that is contained, adding crews will continue to patrol the site should any flare-ups occur.

He said there was some heat on the east side of the fire.

"However, with that being said, it is looking better and better every day," he said.

"Our operational resources out there are feeling very good with what we have."

Despite the optimism, state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection officials still said the fire danger is extreme, citing breezy weather and an acute lack of rain, which helped fuel the Berlin fire, which also has reached into Meriden a big.

Blaze Started Oct. 21

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 the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department 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.

This week, the BVFD said, in addition to a unit from Maine, a firefighter unit out of Quebec, Canada, has arrived to help.

Sadly, Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department firefighter Robert Sharkevich Sr. was killed Oct. 22 when the forest firefighting vehicle he was in overturned. His funeral and burial were Monday, Oct. 28.

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 requiring any evacuations.

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 Nov. 1: 'Berlin Brush Fire: 'Not Out Of The Woods Yet:' BVFD'

From Oct. 31: 'Berlin Brush Fire: Mountain Still Burns As State Preps For Recovery'

From Oct. 30: 'Berlin Brush Fire: Progress Reported By Firefighters'

From Oct. 29: 'Berlin Brush Fire: The Fight Moves Into Its Second Week'

From Oct. 28: 'Berlin Brush Fire: Blaze Enters 2nd Week As Hero Is LaidTo Rest'

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'