Dry conditions and possibly a carelessly discarded cigarette resulted in a brush fire on Heald Road on Aug. 8, according to Wilton Fire Chief Ray Dick.
On Monday, at just after 6 p.m., fire crews responded to a report of a brush fire on Heald Road, near a walking trail. The fire had spread to an area about 50 feet by 100 feet wide, said Dick.
Dick said it was likely “smoking materials” that started the fire, but he could not determine conclusively.
“There was evidence of someone smoking in the area, and there were a couple of cigarettes, but I couldn’t put my finger on a precise cause,” he said.
Crews were able to knock down the fire within half an hour and clear the scene at about 8 p.m., said Dick, after thoroughly dousing the area.
“It took some extreme mop-up, because it was burning so deep – down as far as eight inches in some places,” said Dick.
The department checked the area the following day and further doused it to prevent re-ignition.
Dick cautioned that conditions are still extremely dry, despite rain late last week.
“I have a couple of fire ponds with minimal water,” said Dick. “It’s just so dry right now. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen dry conditions like this.”
Residents should check the fire danger level and consult the fire department before doing any controlled burns and use caution when discarding things like cigarettes or matches.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com.
She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.