KENT—First Selectman Marty Lindenmayer has declared a state of emergency for Kent in conjunction with Governor Ned Lamont’s statewide declaration.
As of this writing, the morning of Oct. 30, a ban on all burning will continue until further notice, including the use of outdoor grills, fire pits, campfires, and the kindling and use of outdoor flames.
Lindenmayer evoked his statutory powers during emergencies in making the declaration.
In his announcement, he noted that although a few showers were forecast in the coming days, the total amount of precipitation was expected to be one-quarter of an inch, far too little to offset the more than eight-inch deficit in rainfall since mid-August.
Not only will there be too little moisture, a warm front moving across the state promises a historically warm Halloween with temperatures near 80 degrees.
Warmer conditions are expected today, Oct. 30, and tomorrow, Thursday, Oct. 31, with south winds that could gust to 25 mph both days. A cool front forecast to cross the state on Friday, Nov. 1, will bring stronger northwest winds, gusting to more than 30 mph at times, the first selectman warned.
“Fire danger is now expected to be high on Thursday and may be very high on Friday with the potential for red flag warnings to be issued if showers do not provide any significant relief from the very dry conditions,” he wrote in his declaration.
He offered some tips to avoid accidentally starting a fire:
- Do not operate a vehicle off road in brush or high grass. The hot exhaust system can ignite grass or brush.
- Do not discard any burning items outdoors. Hot embers, cigarettes, and matches can ignite dry grass or brush.
- Faulty brakes or dragging metal under or behind a vehicle can also send sparks into roadside grass.
“If you spot a forest fire, remain calm, go to the nearest telephone and dial 911 to report the fire as quickly as possible to your local fire department,” he advised. “Tell the emergency dispatcher when you saw it and where you saw it. Stay on the telephone until the dispatcher tells you to hang up.”
Those with questions about the declaration or anything else concerning fire safety should contact Lindenmayer at firstselectman@townofkentct.org; 860-927-4627 (office) or 860-488-6074 (mobile).
Alternatively, individuals may also contact Fire Marshal Tim Limbos at 860-927-4557 (office), 475-290-8563 (cell) or firemarshal@townofkentct.org.
