(WFSB) – Connecticut’s governor declared a state of emergency Friday due to extremely dry conditions and lack of precipitation in Connecticut, which has increased the risk of wildfires across the state.

Gov. Ned Lamont said the declaration was intended to equip state and local emergency management officials with tools to monitor fire threats, respond to active incidents and deal with any new fires that break out .

“Over the past two months, Connecticut has experienced extremely dry conditions and a lack of rain, which has increased the fire risk and caused several fires to ignite across the state,” Lamont said.

As of 6 p.m. Monday, state emergency officials said there have been 51 brush fires in the past week. Three were in progress, 12 were being cleaned and 36 were being monitored for signs of re-ignition.

The governor strongly urged all residents to avoid burning outdoors and noted the increased fire risk.

At a recent press conference, Lamont announced that FEMA reimbursement had been extended to cover some of the costs associated with suppressing the bushfires.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP, has banned the use of outdoor flames due to extreme fire weather conditions.

The restriction included outdoor barbecues, fire pits, campfires and any use of flames in national parks, forests and wildlife management areas.

As multiple agencies responded to bushfires across the state, emergency crews continued to battle a Bush fire lasts a week in Berlin.

Residents have been advised to avoid areas with active fires, and a no-fly zone has been established to aid firefighting efforts.

DEEP reported that most wildfires in Connecticut were caused by human activities.

He said even a small spark can start a wildfire under these conditions. Common sources of ignition included:

• Discarded smoking materials
  
• ATV and UTV activity especially without a spark arrestor
  
• Trailer chain dragging
  
• Use of outdoor barbecues
  
• Campfires
  
• Power tools and equipment that generate heat or sparks
  

“These conditions pose a real and immediate threat to Connecticut communities,” said DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes. “We need every resident and visitor to understand that their actions have a direct impact on the safety of their neighbors, firefighters and natural areas. »

Dykes also recommended using battery-operated flames in Jack-O-Lanterns instead of real candles.

Fire risk in Connecticut remained very high to extreme, with little precipitation in the coming week to improve conditions.

For more information on fire hazards and wildfire prevention, visit Forest Fire Prevention Page on the DEEP website or contact the DEEP fire danger hotline at 860-424-3929.

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