GUILFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — October marks the beginning of brush fire season and the state officials say with little rain and dry conditions, the risk of fires is high.

"We've had extended dry periods, eight to 10 days of nothing, lots of drying occurring and periodic rain, so we have to be careful," Christopher Martin, a state forester with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, said.

Martin says last fall, there were over 600 brush fires that burned over 500 acres of land, the most impactful being the Hawthorne fire.

"We're nowhere near those type of conditions this fall, but lessons learned: we need to be ready," Martin said.

Being ready starts with being careful. The Guilford Fire Department says most brush fires are human-caused, with cigarettes as a top c

See Full Page