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newyork

Lisa LaRocca

WC1112lisa8_2024-11-12-08-06-42

We continue to monitor New York's largest wildfire in 16 years. On this Tuesday morning, crews across our region are working to contain the flames in Orange County. I'm Tara Joyce and I'm Lisa Salvatori. Let's get right to news. Twelve's Lisa Lara in Greenwood Lake with an update from the Orange County executive, Lisa 22 Orange County executive Steve Newhouse long another long night. Another long 24 hours we were talking yesterday around this time. So where are we at at this? So right now the winds are picking up about 40 MPH. They're still heading towards New Jersey, but the ground is still dry. This is like gasoline on there. So we were concerned last night, there was a fire uh wall about three quarters away from residences. So we're very precautionary. Uh We had drones up. I have the governor come in today. I already requested uh for her today to keep helicopter operations because there's some areas like WWE Park behind Emerald Point Restaurant up in those areas where there's some houses, you know, uh I am concerned that we can't get equipment up there. We can only get people on foot So if I can have them in tandem with air operations, I continue to pound that fire from the air and from the ground, we'll be able to save those residences. So that's what we're concerned about right now. But we have a lot of resources here and the outgoing, I mean, the, the support from the public is phenomenal. They're cooking breakfast for these uh firefighters. So, you know, I feel comfortable if I need to evacuate people. Uh we will go to your house and get you, but people should be worried, you know, they should have their stuff in a bag in case you don't wanna be sitting there spending hours getting your stuff out of there. You should have your medication if you need some and we will come get you if we need to. But we are very serious about this. Sure. Now how, I mean, are we making progress at this point? I mean, is it, is it getting better or, you know, it's still kind of a battle? I mean, the fire guys say that the park rangers say we have 5000 acres that were on fire and it's 20% contained. There's still a lot of acreage that's on fire. And when you have winds like this, your hair is blowing and you know, I can feel it behind me that can blow that fire very quickly. And that's why we're digging these fire lines and doing all these areas of precautionary, stop it from coming and spreading. Right now. We're worried about people and property and the park is still have the significant fires going on. I mean, I know there's been some really close calls but so far no homes have been lost and that's a huge win. Absolutely. And I have a lot of people here so we have, you know, emts taking care of firefighters a little like bumps and bruises and, and elbow injuries like that thankfully, but these guys are doing serious work. Uh, that young man Mr Vasquez died and it's a very dangerous stuff. Trees are coming down around you. There's a fire that wasn't existing right next to you, that's just blooming up right in front of you. So it is a fast moving operation, but these guys know what they're doing and we're backing them up 100% sure. Now, I mean, and we saw them, they've been coming in and out, I guess, kind of like just kind of, you know, trading out, they got to get arrested. They're great. We put up drones, the drones are very helpful. Obviously, a new technology that's been used over the last decade. So it can give us a little bit of eyes on what we're looking at what we can send to it. So, you know, right now it's, it's a fluid situation, but I'm 100% confident on it. I tell people freaking out last night, if we need to evacuate you, we will come and get you. But just be prepared. If you live in those areas near a fire, I might be coming to your door with the mayor and a supervisor and our police and saying it's time to go. But, uh, we're not there. Well, that's good. And just before I let you go, uh, school delays still in place today and two hour delay today just because you see the traffic here. Um, that, that's the only reason why we did it, but I don't want a mom or dad to now have to take off of work because, and everything is bright and sunny right now. Uh, so it's really in that area of the, of the uh mountain. So, uh, that's why I decided to say, look, two hour delay if that's what you need. The superintendent. She, that's what she asked for. Uh, I'm not declaring a state of emergency because it'll shut down a lot of things here and right now it's not hampering our operations. All right. Well, hopefully everybody stays safe when we get this thing contained. All right. Orange County executive Steve Newhouse. Thanks so much. So, uh, you heard if there is evacuation, they will come banging on your door and get you out again. The smart thing to do be prepared just in case that happens, have your stuff ready. So you just grab and go. Let's go back to the studio.

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WC1112lisa830_2024-11-12-08-38-01

And we are monitoring New York's largest wildfire in 16 years. Crews across the Hudson Valley still working to contain the flames in Orange County. I'm Tara Joyce and I'm Lisa Salvatori. This is still an all hands on deck type situation in Greenwood Lake. So let's get right to news. Twelve's Lisa Aroa giving us an update from the Orange County executive, Lisa. Right. Right. And we were talking with uh Orange County executive Steve Newhouse just a little earlier. Uh, and I see him heading this way. So while, uh, while we wait for him to get over here, uh You know, they are so busy, they're doing meetings trying to put stuff together and here he comes. Thanks so much, Jason. That's ok. I know you how busy you guys are. So, uh I know you've been your meeting and what any battle plans for today? Yeah, we're setting in multiple teams. We have people as far as orient point in Long Island here. And uh, so not only are we dispatching them and fighting fires all day, but how are we gonna feed them? How we're gonna put them up? Some of them are staying for 72 hours. So, um, but we have air operations, more helicopters coming in today. So people are gonna see all this activity. If you see some fire, there might be some back burning again. That's where we set a fire in an area to burn it out. So it, uh, if this, if the uh wildfire spread to us, it wouldn't burn that area in people's houses. But, um, right now we feel comfortable that people are protected, but you should be ready. So, and we were talking about that before, you know that there are no mandatory evacuations, but just in case that happens, have your stuff ready to go because you don't want to be now running around the house. You live in New York, upstate New York. It's like living in Florida. People know that the hurricane will come and if they do, they have to pick up and go, bring their pets, have food, have medication here. We have blizzards, we have all sorts of stuff. They can have mass power outages for a week here. We have forest fires. Unfortunately. Now they got more common. Um, but, uh, you just need to be pre prepared for it but people should not panic. I'm as calm as you can get. I, if something was gonna happen, we, you would know about it. Um, but they should monitor the county web, uh, page Facebook. Don't listen to third sources, you know, like individuals saying, you know, the apocalypse is coming. It's not believe me. I've been through it all before in my life with the military. We, we're gonna be ok. Where are we at now? I mean, I think you said earlier, like 20% contained, but there's still a lot of hundreds and hundreds of acres are still smoldering and burning right now. So, uh if you look at it now, it looks pretty nice out, but on the other side of the mountain, it is simmering. Uh So we're just continuing to push that line. This is literally like a military operation. We're literally pushing this fire back and back. Uh comes back at night time and we had guys out there all night fighting. This fire is very dangerous. You know, we just went through a whole uh safety brief on making sure that they're doing their job, but they're safe. It's hard to get people out of there. So if something God forbid happens, this is not like you just pull up with an ambulance, you gotta carry these people down the mountain if you can't hoist them out of a helicopter. So it's dangerous work, but it'll get done. And you said that was one of the things that you kind of reached out to the governor and to the state to hang on to these helicopters that we've been watching going in and getting the water because they're really essential with this terrain. I get along great with the governor. The first thing I'm going to ask her and I said it this morning, I mentioned, I said the only thing I'm going to say is I need air operations. I need drones, which we have three UAV teams right now to continue to monitor where the fire is spreading to get ahead of it. We also need those helicopters so they can dip water out of the different lakes we have around here and start fighting it in areas that we can't get to. How much are the drones helping? That's going to be a big, absolutely awesome because they could tell us where exactly to pinpoint it. We might think that the fire spread here, but it's actually coming around there. So that because it so hard to walk around and there's nobody up there, there's thousands of acres of really just timber up there. So, and the terrain, like you said, the terrain is di, I mean, you're talking of mountains. So it's not easy to maneuver. It's this rock and brush and fallen trees and just uh the, the, the first six inches of this layer is just bone dry and it's perfect for burning. So that's why it makes it so difficult. But again, we're on it and uh I'm not worried about it at all. You know, the things get hot overnight and we're, we're evaluating it, but, you know, we're on top of it. I mean, all of this going on, we still haven't lost a home. I mean, I know there's been some close calls but, I mean, that's huge. Yeah, I mean, we were brought in after this young man, uh, Mr Vasquez, which is an absolute tragedy. I mean, a young kid just graduated high school his whole life ahead of him. Uh, we came on when he, when he was reported as deceased county got involved and backed up the state on it and now we're obviously full throttle with the state and the local resources. And, uh, I mean, we have police chiefs from around the area helping out coordinate because it's a huge operation, feeding these folks taking care of them, making sure they have Gatorade Water when go out food, they might be working for 12 hour shifts. So they're coming back when it's dark. So it's a big operation and I mean, I'm seeing from all over you have fire companies and so it's fire forest parks. I mean, we got people up at a Canadian border that are here, you know, we start to brief sometimes we talk who's here from the furthest away. I mean, we appreciate it. So, uh it's, that's what we do, we back each other up and that's what, that's what's great about humankind. We help each other. How worried are you today? About the winds? I mean, you know, they are, there are, I'm concerned about the winds picking up because it's gonna make things difficult because if it was uh no wind at all, it was just dead. Uh It would be perfect to be able to fight it. But, you know, uh we have so many resources here that we can really pound it during the day. So at night time, when we have to pull people back, very dangerous to keep a lot of people on a mountain at night. Um So if we can pound it back the further we push this line, it's like literally like fighting a military battle. The fur further, we can push it away from people's houses the better we are. And then it allows us to dig trenches, it allows us to back burn. So now it's reinforced that these guys are not, the fire cannot come and take, take over the line. All right, thanks so much. I know we'll be, we'll be uh staying in touch with you and good luck with everything. It's a huge operation. Orange County executive Steve Newhouse. So, uh like its like you heard, they're on top of it. They're working hard with this. Uh Good news is no homes lost just yet. So we'll keep you updated. Let's go back to the studio.

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So far, no homes have been lost and there have not been any mandatory evacuations. 

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So far, no homes have been lost and there have not been any mandatory evacuations.

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