Redding Officials Urge Caution Following Weekend Brush Fires

REDDING, CT — Crews from several local fire companies tackled two brush fires in Redding on Saturday.

The first, a "large remote brush fire," was located approximately three-quarters of a mile into the woods along the banks of the Saugatuck Reservoir, according to a report from Stony Hill Fire Department out of Bethel. The fire is under investigation by the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and Aquarion.

The second brush fire consumed about an acre of land along Portland Avenue in the Georgetown district.

There were no reports of injuries.

Crews involved in knocking down the fires included Redding Fire & EMS Company #1, West Redding Volunteer Fire Department, Ridgefield Professional Firefighters, Ridgefield Volunteer Fire Department, Wilton Firefighters - Local 2233, Weston Volunteer Fire Department, Bethel Fire & EMS, Stony Hill Volunteer Fire Company, and Georgetown Volunteer Fire Department.

Officials from Redding Fire & EMS Company #1 described fighting the brush fires at the height of a heat wave as "very dangerous and resource-depleting operations," and advised residents to be extra vigilant about discarding smoking materials.

According to DEEP, the majority of wildfires in Connecticut are human-caused by improper burning of debris, arson, campfires, discarded wood ashes, and equipment.

DEEP urges residents to use fires with caution and heed the following recommendations, especially during forest fire season:

• Obey local laws regarding open fires, including campfires.
• Keep all flammable objects away from fire. Scrape away leaves, twigs, and grass within a 10-foot diameter circle from fire.
• Have firefighting tools nearby and handy.
• Never leave a fire unattended.
• Carefully dispose of hot charcoal.
• Drown all fires.
• Carefully extinguish smoking materials.