The West has for years been adapting to more extreme fires and investing in firefighting resources. In a place like Connecticut, there hasn’t been a reason to consider such steps — until now.
After undergoing training to become a wildland firefighter for a fire crew in the Northeast, Richard Schenk encountered his first major wildfire in 1988 in Yellowstone National Park, located on the opposite side of the country. Over the years, he has frequently traveled across the West and through Canadian forests to combat fires. However, this fall, with over 200 fires reported in his home state of Connecticut, his teams are now benefiting from a system that dispatches firefighters, helicopters, and other resources to areas in need across the U.S. and Canada. During a historically busy fire season in the East, Connecticut has mobilized crews from nearby states like Rhode Island and Maine, as well as from distant locations such as Idaho, Oregon, and California. “This is new for us,” remarked Schenk, a fire control officer in Connecticut.
While the western U.S. has long faced the greatest risks of expanding and intensifying wildfires, the unusual and prolonged series of fires in the East highlights how increasing wildfire threats nationwide may strain resources and catch even experienced firefighters off guard. The West has been adapting to more severe fires for years and investing in firefighting capabilities, but states like Connecticut haven’t had to consider such measures until recently.
As average temperatures rise and warmer air draws more moisture from landscapes, firefighters across the nation report battling blazes at unexpected times of the year and in more locations. “This adds to the costs of managing extreme weather events,” stated Katie Dykes, commissioner of the state’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. Moreover, it’s not just wildfires; just weeks before some of these fires ignited, historic flooding affected parts of Connecticut in mid-August. That rainfall—an event that historical data suggests occurs only about once every thousand years—was insufficient to prevent over 95 percent of the state from entering what is now classified as severe drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. “We’ve witnessed all sorts of unprecedented impacts in our state and will continue to do so,” Dykes added.
Throughout the Northeast, drought conditions have rapidly escalated over the past month due to record-breaking dry spells in the region. This situation led New York City to issue a drought warning last week, potentially signaling upcoming water use restrictions. The city also formed its first brush fire task force, which will employ drones to identify fire risks and investigate blazes. As of Tuesday, approximately 61 percent of the Northeast was experiencing at least “moderate” drought, according to the latest analysis by the U.S. Drought Monitor. Despite a recent period of rain and snow in the East, significant additional rainfall is necessary to alleviate the drought conditions.
These circumstances have contributed to hundreds of wildfires, including some of the largest seen in decades for the region. The Jennings Creek Fire near the New York-New Jersey border has burned over 5,300 acres since it started on November 8 and remains only partially contained as of Wednesday. In southwestern Massachusetts, the Butternut Fire has exceeded 1,300 acres in size and is still not fully under control as of Wednesday.
Although wildfires in the West can grow considerably larger, experts emphasize that even smaller fires can pose serious risks in such densely populated areas. In the East, there are typically more people nearby who can detect fires quickly due to a landscape fragmented by development. However, this also means there is increased human activity near wilderness areas that can ignite fires, as well as more structures that could be threatened by them.
Just as wildfires have caught residents in the West off guard with their rapid spread and severity, there are indications that fire patterns may be shifting in the East, according to Thomas Brady, executive director of the Northeastern Forest Fire Protection Compact. Established in 1947, during a period of similarly dry conditions that allowed flames to consume over 200,000 acres in Maine, this organization aids states and Canadian provinces in coordinating and sharing firefighting resources. Brady noted that intense fires have become more common in the East, marking the second consecutive year that the Northeastern compact is addressing unusually high fire activity in its region. Following a historic wildfire season in Canada in 2023, significant fires impacted Nova Scotia and Quebec, necessitating the involvement of firefighters from various states, including Connecticut.
This year, however, it is the northeastern United States that is seeking firefighting assistance, not just from within the compact, Brady explained. The Hawthorne Fire in Connecticut expanded to approximately 130 acres before being brought under control and required support from a Hotshot crew from California—specialists trained for direct firefighting efforts on the ground. “This is definitely a newer experience for us,” Brady remarked. It has been a “shock” for states that are not accustomed to being at the forefront of fire incidents. Furthermore, some of these states are unprepared for the financial implications of combating such fires.
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In Connecticut, where nearly 60 fires were either active or being monitored last week, firefighting expenses are projected to reach millions of dollars, although exact figures are still pending, according to Dykes. Whether this season will prompt the state to invest in additional firefighting resources or alter its preparedness strategies remains an unanswered question officials will explore once the immediate threats subside. Although the state successfully acquired necessary assistance, including a helicopter from Maine for water drops, some of the crews brought in were among the few available nationwide, stated Christopher Martin, director of the forestry division within the state’s environmental protection department. As the risks continue, there has already been an initiative to enhance public education on fire safety. Due to Connecticut's dense population, fire spread has occurred “both ways”—sometimes advancing from forests to damage barns, sheds, and homes, while other times igniting from house fires, explained Thomas Trask, Connecticut’s forest protection supervisor. Preventive actions in the East have not yet reached the level seen in Western communities, where there is a strong focus on creating vegetation-free zones around homes and utilizing non-flammable building materials. Nonetheless, firefighters have been advising residents to relocate wood piles away from their homes and to clear leaves from beneath decks, Trask noted. Although cooler and wetter weather has recently provided a break from hazardous fire conditions, Dykes cautioned that it is premature to determine if fire activity will diminish for the winter. Consistent rain and snow will be necessary to prevent fall leaves and other vegetation from drying out too quickly again, officials warned. “We’re not out of it yet,” Dykes stated.