the Way of the Turtle

MINNEWASKA FIRE - AN UPDATE
Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Yesterday the wildfire at Minnewaska was declared to be contained, and the work crews shifted from active fire-fighting to mopping up - moving through the burn and making sure all the hot spots are out to prevent future flare-ups. I can only imagine the amount of work involved in checking 3500 acres of burned mountain wilderness.

Right now the DEC is saying the fire was most likely started by smoking - I assume that means they think some idiot started it by carelessly discarding a lit cigarette butt. DEC officials are citing the lack of evidence of arson or campfires, plus the proximity of the original brush fire to the road. I have no trouble believing that as a possible cause, given the hot dry conditions we've had lately (many of the local areas have declared a high fire hazard and put a ban on outdoor burning) and the number of times I watched moronic smokers toss lit cigarettes out their windows.

The Poughkeepsie Journal also has a good editorial which compliments the recent fire fighting efforts but also somewhat takes the state to task for not having a better plan for how to manage the Minnewaska Preserve, particularly in the implementation of controlled burns to help manage undergrowth which can contribute to the rapid spread of wildfires like this one.

JMH