Firefighters are battling numerous wildfires across the state

EAST LYME, CT (WFSB) – Firefighters in Connecticut are battling numerous wildfires that broke out across the state on Saturday.

Rocky Neck State Park is currently closed until further notice as firefighters battle a brush fire spanning approximately five acres. The fire broke out around midday.

Connecticut State Parks announced the closure on its X (formerly Twitter) account.

According to East Lyme Fire Department Assistant Chief Erik Quinn, firefighters face challenges accessing the fire on the trails due to the difficult terrain.

Crews are strategically positioned in nearby rivers, including Long Island Sound, to conduct fire stops and monitor the pavilion.

Local fire brigade teams are on site with support from the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP).

DEEP has stated that it could take a few days for the park to reopen.

Eduardo Silva didn't expect to see clouds of smoke during his afternoon bike ride through the park.

“It was right across the path, the white path,” he said.

At one point he even tried to fight the fire himself.

“I tried to cut it out with some green branches but it got too big for me so I just had to leave. It spread quickly because it got windy,” he continued.

Rescue workers also say significant progress has been made in fighting the worst fire on the Klageberg in Berlin.

Berlin Fire Chief Jonn Massirio says the fire is about 35% contained, a 5% increase from where crews were at at the end of the week. The hope is that the number will rise again by the end of the weekend.

He also hopes to move operations to the monitoring phase by the middle of next week. Ground staff will be reduced, but DEEP and municipal personnel will make trips to the mountain to ensure a fire does not occur.

According to the state's emergency operations report, eight fires have been recorded so far on Saturday, for a total of 107 fires across the state.

Officials are also reminding residents of what they can do to prevent fires in their homes.

“If you have a tree line in your yard, you want to make sure it is at least 30 to 50 feet away from your home. You don’t want trees encroaching on your home that could spread a fire to your home or potentially hot ash from your chimney or fireplace that could start a forest fire,” Massirio said.

DEEP officials say smaller fires broke out in Oxford, Roxbury and Bristol but have since been contained.

For the latest updates, stay tuned to Channel 3 News as more information becomes available.

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