Middletown

Local Farmer Relieved After Livestock Saved From Massive Brush Fire

NBC Universal, Inc.

A local farmer assessed his property Wednesday during a controlled burn, following a fire that torched nearly five of his 37 acres of property on Tuesday.

The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) said the brush fire torched close to 300 acres of land near River, Aircraft and Freeman Roads.

Crews have been conducting an intentional fire to help maintain the forest's health.

Peter Solberg said most of the damage happened north of the property near the Scovill Loop Trails that overlook the Connecticut River.

His biggest worries were his home and his livestock as the fire crept up about 100 yards from his six swallow-bellied pigs.

"It looks like its holding and not going across the access road," Solberg said.

He said he was very worried because the dryness could have forced the fire to spread to an "uncontrollable amount."

After a brush fire tore through approximately 250 acres in Middletown Tuesday, Chief Meteorologist Ryan Hanrahan talks about what increases the fire danger.

The state DEEP said the fire was caused by downed power lines - the high winds making their response much more challenging.

Solberg said he saw a dead tree had fallen and taken them down.

"I'm hoping that this event is going to bolster and support, move forward with some of the CT objectives of clearing the easements on the side of the roads so trees don't impact both the travel and also cutting power lines for power outages or brush fires such as this," he said.

According to Solberg, the Durham Fire Department and DEEP were out there working Wednesday afternoon.

He said they are holding off on the controlled burn now and shifting their focus to cutting trees on fire to prevent it from spreading any further.

Contact Us