October/November 2024 – Fire Danger in New England
Connecticut is experiencing elevated fire risks due to prolonged dry conditions, including the driest two-month period on record since 1905. A statewide burn ban is in effect for public lands, including state parks and forests, following a series of wildfires and extreme drought conditions. Some towns have also enacted their own burn bans (which prohibits the use of any type of outdoor fire, candle burning, and the use of grills). The dry weather has prompted a Stage 2 drought advisory, which signifies an emerging drought event, and the National Weather Service has issued Red Flag Warnings indicating critical fire weather conditions.
Residents are urged to avoid open flames, limit water usage, and comply with all local and statewide burn bans to mitigate the risk of fires. There are ongoing efforts to monitor and combat wildfires, with over 80 fires being tracked statewide recently. For updated fire danger levels and safety guidelines, visit the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection’s Forest fire danger report.
Winter Weather Preparedness:
Winter storms create a higher risk of car accidents, hypothermia, frostbite, carbon monoxide poisoning, and heart attacks from overexertion. Winter storms including blizzards can bring extreme cold, freezing rain, snow, ice and high winds. For information on how you can be prepared, please visit the Winter Weather Ready website.
This report is available in:
2024-2025 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook
CDC expects the upcoming fall and winter respiratory disease season will likely have a similar or lower number of combined peak hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV compared to last season. For the detailed outlook, please visit 2024-2025 Respiratory Disease Season Outlook.