Jennings Creek wildfire prompts evacuations in Orange County, New York
WARWICK, N.Y. — Some residents in Warwick, Orange County were asked to evacuate Saturday due to the Jennings Creek wildfire.
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, winds caused the fire to escape containment Saturday evening near Edgemere Avenue. Residents in about 165 homes on Edgemere Avenue and Wah Ta Wah Park were asked to evacuate.
Warwick first responders started picking up the Edgemere Avenue families in buses after firefighters spent the day expanding the burn line to try to keep the fire under control and dropping 900 gallons of water from helicopters.
A Red Flag Warning was in place across the entire Tri-State Area for much of the day Saturday due to high winds and the ongoing dry conditions.
According to a DEC official, "The voluntary evacuations were put in place to allow emergency apparatus and firefighters to operate uninterrupted." They say the fire has stayed primarily within the boundaries of Sterling Forest State Park, but crews do not want to jeopardize anyone's safety.
The DEC said the fire has expanded by 4-5 acres, the flames have not reached the contingency line and no structures are in danger at this time.
Residents can stay up to date on developments on the New York State Park Police Facebook page.
Crews make progress battling Jennings Creek wildfire
Earlier in the day Saturday, residents of Greenwood Lake cheered and held signs as firefighters and emergency responders drove past to thank them for their efforts battling the enormous wildfire over the past week.
The Jennings Creek wildfire started on Nov. 8 and has burned over 5,000 acres across New York and New Jersey. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
The NYS DEC said Friday night that the fire was 88% contained.
There has been one death in connection to the fire; an 18-year-old New York State Parks aide was killed on Nov. 9 while assisting at the fire scene. Officials say he was struck by a falling tree.
