Orangeburg Brush Fire Blazes Into Night, Villages Smell Smoke

By Krista Madsen:

The Clausland Mountain brush fire in Orangeburg is felt even across the Hudson as it covers the Rivertowns in smog today. 

By Thursday afternoon, people throughout the villages for calling authorities for a smell of smoke. 

Sleepy Hollow Village Clerk Paula McCarthy sent out this advisory just before 4 p.m., Thursday:

At this time, you may be smelling a strong odor of smoke in our area. Unfortunately, there is a large brush fire in Rockland County  which many Fire Depts. are working hard to get under control. Because of the wind, the smell of smoke and some haze, are traveling our way.   

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From Rockland Patch sites, by Robin Traum:

Volunteers with the Orangeburg Fire Department were first to arrive at the scene of a brush fire on Clausland Mountain above Route 303 in Orangeburg a little after 1 p.m. Thursday.

Orangeburg Assistant Fire Chief estimated that the fire was approximately 30 feet by 60 feet when he first arrived, but it grew quickly.

"With the wind blowing at a constant rate and the tough terrain, we had trouble keeping up with it," Jackson said. "Obviously, it was the wind and there is a lot of fuel. It's all trees and leaves on the mountain, so it moves quick."

By 4:30 p.m., all firefighting personnel had been pulled from the mountain for safety reasons. Progress was made in putting out the flames with helicopters from West Point Military Academy Aviation and Westchester County Police Aviation began dropping water on the mountain. The West Point crew was dropping approximately 180 gallons per run and Westchester's helicopter dropped about 125 gallons each time. 

"We're not going to put people on the mountain at night for safety purposes," Jackson said. "This area, it's mostly parkland, so no homes are in danger. We will keep an eye on it to make sure it's not spreading toward homes."

Firefighters are expected to go back to work on putting out the blaze early Friday morning. 

Volunteers from 15 fire departments responded to the scene, including Orangeburg, Blauvelt, Tappan, Sparkill-Palisades, Nyack, Pearl River, Rockland Lake, West Nyack, Central Nyack, Hillcrest, Hillburn and Congers. Firefighters from New City and West Haverstraw covered the Orangeburg fire house, with Rivervale filling in at Blauvelt and Tarrytown at Central Nyack.

Nearly two hours after the fire was first discovered, large amounts of smoke were still visible from Orangetown Town Hall on the corner of Orangeburg Road and Dutch Hill Road. 

Other emergency responders on the scene included the Orangetown Police Department, Rockland County Paramedics and South Orangetown Ambulance Corps.

4:40 p.m. Update: The fire is on Clausland Mountain. There have been at least six air drops of water on the blaze by helicopters from West Point and the Westchester Police Aviation Unit. 

Orangeburg Fire Department Assistant Chief Chris Jackson said when they first arrived at the scene the fire covered an area of about 30 by 60 feet but it spread quickly because of the wind and dry leaves and trees. The fire was continuing to burn as of 4:40 p.m. but firefighters were being pulled off the mountain for safety reasons because it was getting dark.

There are no homes in the immediate area of the fire although there are residences on Clausland Mountain. Firefighters will continue to monitor the situation through the overnight. 

15 fire departments are at the scene including Orangeburg, Pearl River, Piermont, Tappan, Hillcrest Sparkill-Palisades, Blauvelt, West Nyack, Nyack, Suffern and Central Nyack along with Orangetown Police and South Orangetown EMS. The New City Fire Department has been covering for Orangeburg and the Northvale, NJ department has been covering for Tappan.

4 p.m. Update: Approximately 10 fire departments on the scene according to the Rockland County Office of Fire & Emergency Services. 

A brush fire in Orangeburg on Orangeburg Road at Parkway Drive South is creating heavy smoke that can be seen from Orangetown Town Hall. The fire was first reported about 1:15 p.m.  

An air drop of water has been requested and fire departments have set up numerous staging areas.