In 24 hours' time, the blaze went from a 30-acre brush fire to full-blown inferno, covering over 1000 acres of Minnewaska State Park along the Shawangunk Ridge.  Before it was all said and done, over 3,100 acres were burned, and the fire became New York’s largest wildfire in 13 years - and the largest in the Shawangunks since 1947.

The Nature Conservancy was one of several groups that assisted state and local government agencies in battling the late April forest fire, dubbed the Overlooks Fire.  Over 250 firefighters, including a crew from the Conservancy and volunteer firefighters from 27 fire departments, worked against extreme weather conditions and challenging back country terrain to eventually extinguish the blaze.

Safeguarding Homes

Staff from the Conservancy’s Eastern New York Chapter offered vital on-the-ground communication and incident command support during the fire fight.

“Fire fighters at the Overlooks Fire focused on protection of homes and containment of the fire. If firefighters had not stopped the fire where they did, it would have continued onward to Sam’s Point Preserve and to the mountain community of Cragsmoor,” said Cara Lee, director of the Conservancy's Shawangunk Ridge program. 

“This fire highlighted the need to expedite the Shawangunk Ridge fire management program and use prescribed fire to safely reduce the build up of natural fuels that are in the forest," added the chapter’s Forest and Fire Ecologist Gabe Chapin.  "For the past few years, we have successfully conducted small test burns, and this fire has underscored the need to conduct larger prescribed burns as a means of reducing hazard, while rejuvenating the health of the forest.”

Helping to Heal

Support and expertise for the necessary ecological restoration work will be provided by scientists from the Eastern New York Chapter. “Necessary restoration work will likely be focused on stream corridors to minimize erosion and protect Minnewaska’s water resources,” explained Troy Weldy, the chapter’s director of Ecological Management.

Wising Up

The Nature Conservancy, as part of the Shawangunk Ridge Biodiversity Partnership, took the lead with partners in introducing prescribed burns to improve habitat, reduce forest fuel accumulations, reduce invasive plants and meet other management objectives. 

The Conservancy has also introduced a program known as “Firewise Communities” for the hamlet of Cragsmoor – the first such program instituted in New York State. Firewise teaches homeowners how to take pro-active steps to protect their homes and property, before a wildfire occurs. Homeowners learn ways to create a 30-foot buffer around their homes through proper landscaping techniques.  Others steps include keeping gutters clean and making sure all ducts and chimneys are protected by wire mesh to prevent cinders from entering the home. As a result of meeting required criteria in the Firewise Communities/USA program, Cragsmoor was recognized in 2006 as the first Firewise Community in New York State.

For more information on The Nature Conservancy’s fire programs on the Ridge, please contact Cara Lee, director of the Shawangunk Ridge Program, at clee@tnc.org.
 

Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © NYS DEC (Minnewaska fire); Photo © Chris Helzer (firefighter).