Several HVFCo. members and HVFCo. Auxiliary members and their families and friends traveled to Rockport, Mass. over the 4th of July holiday, 2016. Haddam Fire Junior Division Chief Zachary Ouellette participated in the Rockport Firemen’s Association’s annual 4th of July parade with fellow firefighters from Westbrook Fire Department (Connecticut). Following the parade, Ouellette joined Rockport firefighters to help control a massive celebratory bonfire. Members of HVFCo. and Westbrook Fire Department have visited the Rockport area annually for more than 35 years. (Photo by Olivia Drake)

Haddam Volunteer Fire Company would like to thank several departments for providing mutual aid to a brush fire that burned for more than 24 hours on Candlewood Hill Road in Higganum on July 22-23. Those departments include Middletown South District, Killingworth, Durham, Chester, Essex, Middlefield, Westfield, Madison, North Madison, Clinton, Old Saybrook, Portland and the State of Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. HVFCo. responded to an “outside smoke” alarm at 11:25 a.m. July 22 on Candlewood Hill Road near Dream Meadow Farm. Upon arrival, firefighters discovered smoke billowing from the top of Candlewood Hill near the powerlines and observed the smoke resulted from a brush fire. Haddam, with help from the mutual aid departments, shuttled water from the Higganum Reservoir via several tankers. Water was transported up the power lines where it was pumped through about 900 feet of hose to reach the fire’s perimeter. Firefighters used handlines, portable water tanks and several brush fire tools to extinguish the fire. By 9 p.m., the fire was under control and crews decided to resume operations on July 23 to avoid working on rocky terrain at night. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., firefighters and DEEP personnel returned to the site and again and worked to extinguish smoldering leaves and pine needles. The cause of the fire is unknown. Candlewood Hill is home to a small population of pitch pine, which also is called “candlewood pine.” According to the U.S. Forest Service, a 1930s survey completed by 41 leading foresters of the time, asked to rate a list of tree species in order of increasing fire resistance, and pitch pine was considered most resistant. Colonial era families in town burned pitch pine from Candlewood Hill for additional light. (Photo by Olivia Drake)