Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection

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03/19/2025

DEEP Reminds Residents To Exercise Caution During Spring Brush Fire Season

Season Typically Runs From Mid-March to Mid-May; Important For Residents to Be Aware and Take Proper Precautions

(HARTFORD)—The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection is reminding residents that the typical spring brush fire season in Connecticut runs from mid-March through mid-May, and there are important precautions residents should take to minimize the likelihood of a fire. 

After the snow melts in the northeastern part of the U.S., we enter into a traditional spring fire season. This is a time of year when deciduous (non-evergreen) trees are bare, allowing the warm spring sun to heat up forest “fuels.” Forest fuels consist of anything that burns, such as grass, leaves, twigs, branches, and decaying material in the soil. As the days grow longer and the sun gets hotter, the fuels that are most exposed quickly dry out. Grasses, twigs, and small branches are called "1-hour fuels," meaning they can dry out and become ready to burn within an hour. Larger fuels take longer to dry out. Typically, fires that start at this time of year burn just these 1-hour fuels and can spread very fast, particularly when it’s windy.

Brush fires are a serious hazard and can threaten lives and infrastructure. In 2024, Connecticut had a total of 605 wildfires, with 510 acres impacted. Tragically, a firefighter died while responding to a brush fire in fall 2024, and eight other firefighters were injured in 2024 while responding to brush fires. One residential building and seven other structures were lost to wildfire. Overall in 2024, 170 structures and residences were at risk for damage from wildfires.

The majority of wildfires in Connecticut are caused by human actions such as improper burning of debris or poor management of campfires, arson, careless discarding of wood ashes, and placing motorized equipment on top of or adjacent to fire fuels.

“As we saw from our historic brush fire season last fall, brush fires are a serious hazard, particularly in a densely populated state like Connecticut,” DEEP Commissioner Katie Dykes said. “With increasingly extreme weather conditions, it’s all the more important for residents to be vigilant and careful when burning anything outdoors. It’s important to remember that local open burning permits are automatically suspended on days when the fire danger level is high, very high, or extreme. Please be sure to properly dispose of wood ashes, make sure all campfires are completely extinguished and wet and cool to the touch before leaving the area, and take proper care when extinguishing and disposing of smoking materials such as cigarette butts.”

“As we have seen across the country, and recently here in CT, wildland fires can quickly threaten homes and other structures,” State Fire Marshal Lauri Volkert said. “Even a small camp fire can turn deadly in a matter of minutes. Make sure an alert adult constantly attends to every outdoor fire. Teach children how to be safe around fire by keeping a 3-foot kid-free zone around any campfire, storing matches and lighters securely out of kids’ reach and modeling responsible behavior around fire.”

DEEP's Forest Fire Control Office urges all who enjoy Connecticut's parks, forests and open spaces 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 coal/ashes. 
  • Drown all fires. 
  • Carefully extinguish smoking materials. 

For Connecticut homeowners and residents, the following best practices are suggested to protect your family members and home: 

  • Make a fire-safe zone around your house. Clean flammable vegetation and debris from at least 30 feet around the house and any outbuildings. 
  • Prune away the lower limbs of evergreens that are within the fire-safe zone. Evergreens catch fire easily during dry periods and burn quickly. 
  • Remove any limbs which overhang the roof or chimney. 
  • Regularly remove leaves and needles from gutters. 
  • Do not store firewood in the fire-safe zone. 
  • Use fire-resistant roofing materials. 
  • Make sure firefighters can find and access your home. Mark your house and roads clearly and prune away limbs and trees along your driveway which do not allow fire truck access. 
  • Have an escape plan-- and practice it. 
  • Follow state and local open burning laws. 
  • Stay with outside fires until they are completely safe and extinguished. 
  • Dispose of wood ashes in a metal bucket, soak them with water before dumping them. 

Local open burning permits are automatically suspended on days when the fire danger level is high.

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. Tell the emergency dispatcher when and where you saw the fire. If you see anything suspicious at or near the scene of the fire, take note and relay that to the dispatcher as well. Stay on the telephone until the dispatcher tells you to hang up. 

Helpful Resources 

For more information on forest fire prevention, visit the Smokey Bear website. 

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Contact

DEEP Communications  
DEEP.communications@ct.gov
860-424-3110