A brush fire damaged property on Dogburn Road in Orange on Nov. 1. photo by Doug Fenichel.
Orange firefighters extinguished a brush fire that burned through the wooded backyards of a neighborhood and the work area of a small farm on Nov. 1.
Fire Chief Vaughan Dumas said firefighters were dispatched to the area of 819 Dogburn Rd. just before 4 p.m. He said the fire charred about 1.25 acres. Flames moved through the farm’s work area, destroying an outbuilding, supplies and equipment.
“Although the area was small, the fire burned through piles of building material, logs and fallen trees and other challenges. Firefighters faced thickly wooded areas and rocky terrain,” he said. “Crews used hose lines from three fire engines as well as rakes, axes and saws. It was hard work.”
Orange was assisted at the scene by Woodbridge Fire while firefighters from Derby and West Haven stood by at the town’s two firehouses. Additional resources from the Orange Fire Marshal’s office, the Orange police and AMR EMS assisted at the scene. The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection was also notified.
Dumas said there were no injuries. The Fire Marshal’s office is investigating the cause of the fire.
Scant rainfall through September and October has resulted in unusually dry conditions that have led to dozens of brush fires around the state in recent weeks. Those conditions are expected to persist, with officials implementing a burn ban in state parks and urging residents to avoid any outdoor activities that could spark a fire.