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High winds make massive wildfire on NJ-NY border harder to contain
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High winds make massive wildfire on NJ-NY border harder to contain

Stormy conditions hampered firefighters Tuesday as they tried to contain a stubborn blaze Wildfire in northern New Jersey and across the New York state border in Orange County, which has been burning for five days.

In an update at 6:30 p.m., fire officials said the fire at Long Pond Ironworks State Park was 30% contained, down from 20% the day before. The fire has consumed 2,283 acres on the New Jersey side of the border, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. An estimate of the number of acres destroyed on the New York side was not yet available.

A wind change overnight created harsh weather conditions throughout the day on Tuesday and made firefighting efforts difficult.

Chris Franek, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service’s deputy fire marshal for the Jennings Creek Fire, said at a news conference at Skylands Mansion in Ringwood that some suppression tactics could not be used due to wind, but he was confident it would be possible. Efforts in the field were effective.

“Where we’re responding to fires, our tactics appear to be holding the line,” Franek said.

The National Weather Service said a red flag warning is in effect for northeastern New Jersey, including Passaic County, due to dry and windy conditions.

The warning will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and also covers Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.

The weather service says northwest winds of 15 to 25 mph are expected with occasional gusts up to 35 mph through the early evening.

“A red flag warning means critical fire weather conditions are expected or occurring,” the weather service said. “The combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels will create a significantly higher fire growth potential.”

Wildffre 11-12-24

Firefighters work at the scene of a large wildfire in West Milford on Sunday. The fire was at 3,500 acres Tuesday morning and was 20% contained.New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

State forest firefighters from New Jersey and New York are working with volunteers to contain the fire. The only break they’ve had so far is a quarter-inch of rain that fell Sunday night and briefly slowed the fire.

But by Tuesday morning the soil was dry and a northwesterly wind was blowing white caps over nearby Greenwood Lake. Helicopters continued to dip their buckets into Lake Greenwood to pour water on the fire, and a thick cloud of smoke drifted over the Monksville Dam and Wanaque Reservoir to the southeast. Route 511 remained open in the smoky fog.

Although the fire tore through the historic village of Long Pond Ironworks, eight wood-frame structures, including a former church off Route 511, were undamaged as of Tuesday evening. Even though the park was closed, people stopped in the parking lot throughout the day Tuesday to check on the fire and make sure the village was still there.

“I had to come and see it with my own eyes,” said Ringwood resident Debbie Van Dunk, who grew up at the Long Pond Iron Works. “This was my childhood home.”

He said the house still stands and is used by state park managers. “My mother was born here. My brother was born in that house. My family has been here forever.”

Van Dunk, 65, said he remembers attending services at the old wooden church across the street.

Passing through the thick smoke, he was relieved to see his childhood home and the rest of the village unaffected by the fire. Nowadays he lives near Stonetown, an area of ​​Ringwood. With the fire still burning, she felt unsafe and worried about her neighbors.

“I understand this is a historic event,” he said of Long Pond. “But we are all in danger.”

there is No rain expected for the rest of the weekBut the wind needs to calm down. Franek said this will make the firefighters’ job a little easier.

“Progress is being made,” he said.

MOREOVER: Record-breaking rain-free streak ends but dry trend may resume

Officials said the fire first broke out Friday night. There have been no mandatory evacuations so far.

An 18-year-old firefighter died while fighting a fire in Sterling Forest. Dariel Vasquez, a park employee in New York, was killed Saturday in the New York section of the park, New York State Police said. His death remains under investigation.

Another firefighter also suffered minor injuries Tuesday but did not require hospitalization, Franek said.

Although there were no evacuations, two homes in West Milford and eight additional buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District were threatened Tuesday, officials said.

Beech Road remains closed, as does East Shore Road between Awosting Road and the Greenwood Lake Turnpike.

Additionally, all trails in Long Pond Ironworks State Park, Tranquility Ridge, and the Ringwood Mansion section of Ringwood State Park are closed.

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Jeff Goldman can be reached at: [email protected].