New York Forest Rangers tell of challenges battling Canadian wildfires
NEW YORK -- City officials are urging New Yorkers to prepare for the possibility of poor air quality.
Health advisories are in place with smoke from the Canadian wildfires expected to return.
READ MORE: Air quality health advisories in effect across New York on Monday due to Canadian wildfire smoke
Canadian officials are calling it their worst wildfire season ever.
"About 24 million acres have burned, which is certainly a record by this time of year, and the fires are still raging still," said Basil Seggos, New York's Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner.
Seven state DEC Forest Eangers just returned from Quebec.
"Our two-week assignment was seek and destroy hotspots," said Gary Miller of Hamilton County.
They were part of a 20-person team.
"Other people from Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont -- a lot of sharing of knowledge and new techniques from a different ecosystem with fire that we don't usually get to see in state here," said John Scott of Suffolk County.
READ MORE: Canadian wildfire maps show where fires continue to burn across Quebec, Ontario and other provinces
They said the terrain, vegetation and elevation made it challenging.
"Their helicopters are basically their taxis into the fire because there's no other way in, no roads in. It's pretty desolate in there," said Lincoln Hanno of Herkimer and Lewis counties.
So they can't bring heavy equipment into the fight like they would if they were battling the fire in the Tri-State Area.
"In New York, for us to control a fire, we're digging a hand line around it or using bulldozer around the fire," Miller said.
READ MORE: How AI technology could be "a game changer" in fighting wildfires
But in Quebec, "They let the fire go until it hits a wet area and then they use their helicopters to control it that way," Miller said.
"Just trying to get water onto them somehow, either through bucket drops from helicopter or using a lot of hose lays to bring up water from a lake or pond or any kind of water source," Scott added.
As for how long the fires may continue to burn, Miller said, "They pretty much said winter is going to be the end of their fire season, at least in the section we were on."
And as they continue, there is another air quality advisory here in New York.
There was a hazy view of the George Washington Bridge from Riverbank State Park on Monday evening. Health officials say check the air quality numbers before you head outside, and consider wearing an N95 mask.
