Connecticut is at an increased risk for forest fires -- but the red flag warning issued this weekend is over. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection said several brush fires broke out last week. That includes one in Southbury that was about 30 acres in size. That fire was contained Friday evening. DEEP says that on average, about 500 acres are burned in a year.Under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s “red flag” warning, any fires that start could spread rapidly and become difficult to extinguish. In Connecticut, the red flag warning was issued for Hartford, Tolland, and Windham counties through 5pm on Saturday. It was also issued for all of Rhode Island. Connecticut environmental officials said the state traditionally experiences high forest fire danger from mid-March through May.
The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.
