A large wildfire that originated in the western part of the Town of Deerpark was out on April 15 after three days of around-the-clock responses by local firefighters and state forest rangers.
Around 350 acres of woods were burnt, but not one property was damaged, according to an interview with Huguenot Fire Company Chief TJ Kalin.
He said about 40 fire departments responded to the fire, including those from nearby Sullivan County, Sussex County in New Jersey, and Pike County in Pennsylvania; the rain also helped.
On Saturday, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Orange County’s fire danger rating dropped to a moderate level after remaining high for more than a week.
Joanne Vicaretti, a former volunteer firefighter and a resident on Shin Hollow Road, where the fire first broke out, told The Epoch Times that she appreciated the hard work of first responders.
“They did an excellent job of protecting the houses, garages, barns, and everything,” Vicaretti said. “I’m sure they are exhausted because they worked around the clock.”
She said this was the largest wildfire she’d seen in Deerpark since she moved here 40 years ago.
The fire burnt some of her land before stopping about a quarter of a mile from her house.
A fire engine at the wildfire scene in the Town of Deerpark, N.Y., on April 14, 2023. (Courtesy of Huguenot Fire Company)One of her neighbors burnt brushes and caused the fire on the morning of April 12, according to Vicaretti.
By the end of the day, the fire had spread to 48 acres; two days later, it had burnt up to 300 acres, according to updates by the Huguenot Fire Company.
As first responders worked on the fire, the local community delivered food, snacks, and water to them.
The Epoch Times reached out to the New York State Department of Environment Conservation for the official report on the fire.
The county also saw another wildfire in the Town of Blooming Grove that burnt 98 acres over three days.
In the past week, New York had 20 wildfires that burned hundreds of acres, according to a press release by the Governor’s Office.
Every year, the window between mid-March and May is the peak brush fire season due to the abundance of dry and dead vegetation, according to Orange County Fire Services.
This year, the condition is especially dry because of the mild winter with relatively little snow.
To prevent large brush fires, New York put in a statewide burn ban running from March 16 to May 14.
Open waste burning is the largest cause of spring wildfires in the state.
Exceptions to the burn ban are backyard fire pits, campfires, and small cooking fires that must be less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or diameter.
Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated, or unpainted wood can be used.
After use, the fire cannot be left unattended and must be extinguished.
Violators of the burn ban are subject to criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for the first offense.