The smell of burnt smoke arising and bright orange flames have engulfed Greenwood Lake this past November. The wildfire spread rapidly, becoming a threat to homes and wildlife. Amidst the chaos and devastation, brave and dedicated firefighters and volunteers worked to combat the wildfire.
Greenwood Lake, a village in Orange County, New York, has recently become infamous for the recent wildfire that occurred in mid-November. There have been numerous school closings and evacuations due to the fire spreading to multiple acres of land in both New York and New Jersey. Hundreds of firefighters and employees have put their lives at risk to contain this wildfire. This effort has led to the tragic death of an eighteen -year- old state park employee.
To make matters worse, New York State and surrounding areas have recently experienced a lack of precipitation for several months now, leading to dry conditions encouraging the fire to persist. Along with drought, winds caused the fire to move towards New Jersey and continue to spread. The scent and gust of smoke passed to surrounding localities, including Washingtonville, bringing about a burn ban and poor air conditions in several areas.
Firefighters and first responders have been essential to providing immediate assistance during this wildfire and many other emergencies. The quick actions were a crucial part of containing the blaze to protect both the lives and homes of residents.
In Washingtonville, we not only have our fire department but also volunteers that dedicate their time to assist in emergency situations. Cole Wilson is a senior and has volunteered at the Vails Gate Fire Department for 7 months. Cole expressed, “I enjoy helping my community. I also learned how important volunteer firefighters are in all incidents, not just fires.”
Brian Noronha is another senior at Washingtonville who is a volunteer firefighter at the Washingtonville Fire Department. Brian shared, “[he] learned the importance of being prepared for anything. [He] volunteers because of the opportunity to be someone who helps the community when they need it the most.”
According to Mid Hudson News, the fire has now been contained; however, there is still a chance of it persisting in smaller areas and quantities. Efforts to put the fire out included helicopters that dropped thousands of gallons of lake water over the fire as well as recent rain accompanied by snow that has also suppressed the fire.
Every year thousands of people put their lives at risk to battle fires as big as the wildfire in Greenwood Lake and larger all across the country. These brave first responders face conditions that are dangerous and unpredictable to protect lives, homes, and habitats. This past month, the firefighters that succored Greenwood Lake have truly exemplified courage.
Kommentare