Rensselaer CountyWednesday, November 4
DEC asks you to stay out of the Berlin wildfire area while crews finish up
The Daily Albany team
If you hike in Rensselaer County, skip the Berlin forest area for now. The state Department of Environmental Conservation says crews are still working to finish addressing last week's wildfire. The Berlin State Forest and Taconic Ridge State Forest are closed until further notice.
- Also closed: Taconic Crest Trail and Mattison Hollow Trail
- Fire status: contained, with some areas still burning inside
- Cause: investigation is ongoing
Residents found the fire in the Town of Berlin on Sunday, Oct. 25, when it covered about 1.5 acres. By Monday evening it had grown to roughly 198 acres. Dozens of firefighters from New York, Massachusetts and Vermont worked it, with water drops from two state helicopters.
The Berlin wildfire went from discovery to closures in about a week
- Oct. 25Residents find the fire in the Town of Berlin at about 1.5 acres
- Oct. 26The fire reaches roughly 198 acres and is 50% contained
- Oct. 27The Stephentown fire chief says the fire is 100% contained
- Nov. 2Berlin State Forest and Taconic Ridge State Forest are closed until further notice
- Nov. 3DEC asks the public to avoid the area as some spots still burn
Sources: Spectrum News Capital Region, WRGB, WAMC, wnyt.com
WNYT reported more than 250 acres burned. The Stephentown fire chief said the fire was 100% contained as of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 27. Crews had to hike a mile and a half down a trail, then another mile into the woods.
Sources: Spectrum News Capital Region, WRGB, WAMC, wnyt.com