BERLIN, Conn. — The end of the Lamentation Mountain fire in Berlin could be in sight- if all goes as planned. The blaze has been eating away at the mountain for four days and turned fatal on Tuesday.
However, it continues to burn as of Thursday night.
On Wednesday, two helicopters were in operation dumping water on the flames. On Thursday, resources from Maine added a third.
As of Thursday evening, there had been approximately 120,000 gallons of water dumped by aerial assistance.
The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has deployed 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.
On Thursday evening, fire officials said another flare-up caused the blaze to expand. The flames have now spread across 107 acres, which is more than was originally anticipated.
"It doesn't necessarily correlate to fire growth. The fire growth has been pretty minimal. If you look at it on a map and spread wise, we're looking pretty decent there," said Berlin Fire Chief Jonn Massirio.
The fire is expensive, though. Officials say it has cost over $100,000 each day.
Crews will not be on the ground during evening hours due to the dark, dangerous conditions, but they will be back on Lamentation Mountain Friday morning. No evacuations have been deemed necessary at this point.
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 reiterate the importance of drone pilots and hobbyists to keep their drones grounded so that operations can continue without a hitch.
Officials also set up a "geo-fence" in the area that will send phone alerts to remind people to stay clear of the mountain and Silver Lake while operations continue.
Officials said there are no issues with the air quality, but DEEP will continue to monitor the air. Officials added 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.
The rain forecasted to come by Thursday morning "did nothing to soak into the ground," DEEP officials said.
Crews from Rhode Island and New Hampshire were on the ground Thursday 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 been investigating 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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