A number of Monroe residents are violating the Red Flag Warning

MONROE, CT — Governor Ned Lamont’s declaration of a state of emergency due to critical weather conditions causing brush fires throughout the state of Connecticut issued on Oct. 25 remains in effect as the fall drought continues.

But despite the Red Flag Warning and several reminders from Monroe Fire Marshal William “Bill” Davin, Monroe Fire Chief Kevin Catalano said town residents are still being found in violation of the order barring all open burning, including leaves and brush and the lighting of camp and bon fires.

Town firefighters recently responded to a fast growing brush fire on Elm Street last Wednesday. Fortunately, it was not close to a lot of homes, according to Catalano.

“We’ve gone out, sometimes two to four times a day, for different people burning,” he said during a phone interview Saturday morning. “Two people were burning bonfires last night — the later one when the winds were strong.”

Catalano said Monroe police officers and local firefighters are following the statewide declaration.

“Most people we talked to claimed they didn’t know the Red Flag Warning was still in effect,” he said. “It doesn’t give me any joy to do this, but in some cases the police department has issued court summonses,” he added of enforcement measures.

While some residents may believe it is safe to have a fire in their backyard with a garden hose nearby, Catalano said, “with gusty winds, dry ground and leaves down it could be a recipe for disaster. In these winds, one ember can take off and damage your property, let alone someone else’s property.”

The fire chief said conditions are worsened by low humidity and the natural canopy being gone due to fallen leaves, allowing direct sunlight to dry out sticks and leaves on the ground.

“A lot of people don’t realize, if you have a permit you have to call in every time you burn, and the dispatcher would tell you not to burn right now,” Catalano said, adding, “people who don’t hold a permit are trying to burn. With these conditions a lot can go wrong.”

Though brush fires are not in enclosed spaces like structure fires, it can still be dangerous. Catalano recalled how Robert Sharkevich Sr., a Wethersfield volunteer firefighter, lost his life while responding to a brush fire at Lamentation Mountain in Berlin last month.

He said firefighters also must remain at the scene longer, to soak it down, saturating the ground so a brush fire does not smolder and reignite, making emergency responders come back.

“We need some extended periods of rain,” Catalano said.

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