Blaise Gomez

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Nov 15, 2024, 5:21 PM

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Updated

Crews intensified their ground attack in Greenwood Lake on Friday, with another day of major strides and a massive, controlled burn.

A total 500 acres were back-burned while crews raced against the clock before the winds picked up again.

News 12 joined firefighters for the first time since the wildfire began for an exclusive, firsthand look at how they’re battling this blaze.

“It’s a real good push today,” says Orange County Emergency Management Commissioner Pete Cirigliano. “It’s really fighting fire with fire while the weather conditions are favorable for this type of burn.”

A perimeter of fire could be seen along a stretch of Sterling Forest, deep inside the woods, where the controlled burns are underway. Firefighters are stationed every few feet; tasked with ensuring the fire doesn’t spread past the containment zone.

“The terrain is very steep, very rocky, very difficult to navigate,” says Cirigliano.

The back burns are starving the stubborn wildfire of fuel on the border of New York and New Jersey. Smoke could be seen for miles midday during the efforts and cast a fog over rescuers. At times, the conditions made it difficult to breathe.

On Thursday, Chinook and Blackhawk helicopters were brought in and dumped 170,000 gallons of water on the blaze, according to officials. On Friday, wildfire experts from Colorado and Montana known as “fire jumpers” joined the battle and are in interior parts of the woods.

“What their job is going to be is patrolling the inside part of this fire while the volunteers and the rangers are patrolling the exterior.”

Cirigliano says roughly 70% of the fire is contained after nearly a weeklong, strenuous fight. “By the end of today, we hope that number gets up to 85-90%.”

Firefighters from dozens of agencies and departments around the state are assisting local volunteers and state officials with battling the blaze.

“There are 1,600 fire departments in New York state but it’s a small family,” says Orange County Fire Coordinator Vini Tankasali. “Everyone helps each other out in their time of need.”