Connecticut is no stranger to snow and ice storms, nor’easters, and even hurricanes – but a state of emergency due to extreme fire danger is unfamiliar territory in the Nutmeg State.
It has been a fall fire season unlike any in recent memory, with fire departments from greater Hartford to the shoreline scrambling to contain and extinguish an outbreak of fast-growing brush fires. The largest and most devastating has been the Hawthorne fire which broke out on Lamentation Mountain in Berlin, scorching over one hundred acres of land and sending so much smoke billowing into the sky you could see and smell it from miles away. The parking lots of nearby businesses turned into command centers as dozens of firefighters and public safety officials from surrounding cities and towns assembled to aid in the fight. Tough terrain complicated the race to contain the Berlin blaze. Military helicopters soon would come flying in to drop buckets of water on the flames from above.
Tragically, a veteran local firefighter died in the line of duty responding to the fire.
This is not California – these fires have raged in Connecticut in just the past few weeks amid a long stretch of abnormally dry weather. The combination of falling leaves, wind and weeks of little to no rain created tinderbox conditions statewide
Organizing a swift response during emergencies requires strong partnerships between state and local agencies, businesses, organizations and the community, and Eversource is proud to provide assistance to the massive effort that mobilized to support the fight against this rash of brush fires.
“In times of crisis, our team is always ready to assist our public safety partners any way we can,” said Eversource President of Electric Operations in Connecticut Steve Sullivan.
The energy company quickly deployed crews to support emergency officials across the state and respond immediately to any problems. Eversource also had reinforcements in the sky through its drone engineering team, which provided live stream imagery to fire officials to help track the spread of the Hawthorne fire. Along with aiding in the direct response, the company was closely monitoring its electric transmission lines and equipment in the area.
“As the situation developed, we maintained close lines of communication with the Governor, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and Berlin fire and police regarding the fire and any potential impact it could have on the electric system,” added Sullivan.
Eversource maintains more than 4,000 miles of overhead and underground transmission lines that play an essential role in connecting electric customers across New England with safe, reliable power. These lines carry high-voltage power from the source of generation across long distances to substations, where the voltage is made safe for delivery over roadside power lines that serve over a million homes and businesses.
“Our transmission lines are the backbone of the regional electric grid, and we didn’t want to take any chances with the Hawthorne fire, especially once the winds started picking up,” said Sullivan. “We began conducting ongoing aerial surveys on two of our high-voltage power lines that were located close to where the fire was believed to have originated. We were prepared to take action and had plans in place to quickly redirect power to other lines to minimize any potential disruption to our customers.”
This is the new reality in Connecticut – residents now face risks similar to those experienced out west on a smaller scale which could lead to losses of life and property. As the state continues to experience the rapidly evolving effects of climate change, strategic, consistent investments are necessary to ensure the electric system is able to withstand the power of extreme weather. From water, wind and snow to heat and now fire, the resiliency of the grid continues to be tested by weather threats of all kinds. Policymakers, and most importantly, customers and communities demand strong infrastructure that is able to endure these risks. As the world shifts to an increased dependence on electricity, steady infrastructure investment will become that much more critical for utilities like Eversource to deliver reliable power to customers.
That level of investment comes at a cost. So does responding to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather. Connecticut witnessed that firsthand with the Hawthorne fire, as the emergency response costs accumulated so quickly that for the first time ever, the Lamont administration applied for and secured a major grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under its Fire Assistance Grant Program, which will help reimburse the state and its municipalities.
This time, it was brush fires. Only three months ago, it was historic flash flooding that wreaked havoc in the Southbury area. Whatever the next test may be, Eversource will be prepared and committed to working with state and local partners to provide the highest level of response to the communities it serves.
“Collaboration is critical to execute the best possible emergency response for the people of Connecticut. We saw that on full display during the response to the Hawthorne fire, and we thank the state for their strong partnership and coordination,” said Sullivan.
Paid for by shareholders.