State Police Using Drones In Battle Against Hudson Valley Wildfires

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Another day of high winds and low humidity meant firefighters' work was cut out for them on Tuesday and there is little indication of relief in the forecast as large swathes of New York burn.

The main fire along the New York and New Jersey state lines is now estimated at 5000 acres, including 2,500 acres on the New York side. Officials said the fire is 10 percent contained.

A second 42-acre fire is burning near West Mombasha Road and the Appalachian Trail and is contained. New York officials are working in close coordination with New Jersey officials, according to Gov. Kathy Hochul.

"I'm incredibly grateful to the first responders and those on the frontlines that are working around the clock to stop the spread of these fires to protect their fellow New Yorkers," Hochul said in a media briefing on Tuesday. "Tragically, a New York State Parks employee lost his life responding to this fire."

See Also:

• 'Pray For Our Responders,' Sterling Forest Fire 'Not Contained'
• Voluntary Evacuations Ordered As Deadly Hudson Valley Wildfire Grows

On Monday, 277 emergency responders, including firefighters from 44 companies with 230 personnel; six law enforcement agencies with 28 staff members and four EMS crews with 19 personnel, responded to the massive wildfire. This also includes representatives from Orange County, the New Jersey Fire Service, Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, New York State Police, the Department of Transportation and State Parks.

Crews worked throughout the night widening and reinforcing existing fire lines between the fire and areas of Wah Ta Wah Park and Sylvan Park.

There are four helicopters fighting the blaze, including two operated by the New York State Police. The State Police Unmanned Aircraft System pilots are also assisting firefighting personnel by identifying fire hot spots.

The New York Division of Military and Naval Affairs provided two Black Hawk Helicopters to support the response, in addition to the two NYSP helicopters. The two UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter buckets can carry 660 gallons of water.

On Monday, helicopters dropped over 100 buckets of water on the fire Sterling Forest fire.

There have still not been any mandatory evacuations. However, as a precaution, 12 homes in the Town of Warwick, in Orange County voluntarily evacuated. Potable water is available for the public in the Village of Greenwood Hall, at 18 Church Street.

Meanwhile, the Whitehouse Fire in the Town of Denning, Ulster County is 95 percent contained within 630 acres. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers are coordinating the response. Twelve rangers worked on the fire with the unified command of Sullivan and Ulster County 911 Centers and volunteer fire departments. Twenty fire departments provided over 185 firefighters with apparatus from engines, brush trucks, tankers, bulldozers and UTV's.

NYC DEP aviation and NYSP aviation provided support with bucket drops and aerial imaging.

Two structures burned in Ulster County, an abandoned house and an outbuilding.

From 2007 to 2023, New York State had an average of 117 wildfires per year, with an average of 1,400 acres burned per year. The wildfire at Jennings Creek-Sterling Forest State Park in the Town of Warwick, in Orange County supersedes the amount of acreage burned in wildfires in 14 of the 17 years of available data per the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in New York State.