Southington FD To Crack Down On Open Burning

SOUTHINGTON, CT — Local fire officials said over the weekend said they will immediately put out any fire they see (whether previously authorized or not) to comply with an open burn ban in place.

The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Gov. Ned Lamont has announced an immediate prohibition of open burning of any kind, regardless of whether is was permitted or not permitted.

The Southington Fire Department said Sunday they are abiding by those orders, meaning the lighting of a charcoal stove to cook hot dogs might result in a fire hose dousing it with water.

According to the SFD, all "previously issued" open burn permits are, now, invalid, and any open burning (chimineas, backyard fire pits, cooking fires, recreation/religious burning, warmings) is prohibited.

As a result, the SFD said they will respond to any reported fire and, if not put out by the owner/occupant, firefighters will do so, according to Southington Fire Department Chief Eric T. Heath.

Dry weather in recent weeks had increased the risk of forest fires to dangerous levels, with many Southington firefighters helping to battle the massive Lamentation Mountain blaze in nearby Berlin, which has been burning for more than a week.