BERLIN, Conn. — The end of the Lamentation Mountain fire in Berlin is in sight- if all goes as planned. The blaze has been eating away at the mountain for four days and turned fatal on Tuesday.
Berlin, Meriden, Connecticut National Guard and The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) officials provided an update Thursday morning regarding the status of the fire, saying from Wednesday to Friday, 36,000 gallons of water will be dumped on the flames. On Wednesday, two helicopters were in operation, but on Thursday, resources from Maine added a third.
DEEP also had equipment that fire crews could utilize safely to clear paths and help establish a buffer zone on the mountain.
Officials said nearby Silver Lake remains closed as the helicopters pick up hundreds to thousands of gallons of water. One lane on the northbound side of the Berlin Turnpike is closed to help with operations. There also continues to be a no-fly zone, as officials cited some drones that have gone up in the area in the last few days, which puts the helicopters at risk.
Officials also set up a "geo-fence" in the area to remind people to stay clear of the mountain and Silver Lake while operations continue.
There are no evacuation orders for homes and businesses in the area, and officials said there are no issues with the air quality while DEEP will continue to monitor the air. Officials did say that those with "sensitivities" such as asthma should close the windows if they're experiencing an issue.
The good news: Officials hope the fire will be controlled within two days, although final extinguishment and mop-up are expected to extend into next week.
The lack of rain and higher winds over Connecticut this week isn't helping firefighters. DEEP has warned that no rain in the forecast could make for a long fire season in the state. Connecticut has not seen substantial rainfall since the deadly floods in Oxford and Southbury in August.
Crews from Rhode Island and New Hampshire are on the ground to help fight the fire.
“The heavy rock. There’s a lot of shale. A lot of cliffs and 90-degree sheer drops,” said Chief Jeff Pajor of the Kensington Fire Department.
Those sheer drops and cliffs turned deadly for one Wethersfield volunteer firefighter, 66-year-old Robert Sharkevich, Sr.
Sharkevich was killed Tuesday, just after 5:30 p.m., when a UTV he was on crashed at the southern end of the mountain where other fighters were also helping to battle the flames. According to the preliminary investigation, the UTV was driving along a "steep rocky incline" while responding to the fire when it rolled over and killed Sharkevich.
Three other firefighters were injured in the crash and taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.
Gov. Ned Lamont directed U.S. and state flags to lower to half-staff Wednesday, effective immediately until sunset on the date of internment. Sharkevich's funeral will be on Monday, Oct. 28, in Hartford.
RELATED: Wethersfield community united in remembrance of fallen firefighter; details on service released
The Berlin Fire Marshal's Office and Connecticut State Police have started to investigate the cause and origin of the brush fire.
Those looking to donate to the firefighters working on the brush fire are encouraged to donate to the Farmington Community Chest's CERT Canteen.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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