WARWICK, NY – Some residents of Warwick, Orange County are being asked to evacuate due to the Jennings Creek wildfire.
According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, winds caused the fire to escape Edgemere Avenue on Saturday evening.
Residents of approximately 165 homes on Edgemere Avenue and Wah Ta Wah Park are now being asked to evacuate.
Some residents are allowed to use their own car, while others are transported by bus. An evacuation site is set up at Greenwood Lake Middle School.
Orange County Emergency Services says police officers will be going house to house with more information.
“Please note that there is time to leave. However, we will need to move a lot more fire equipment around the area and we don’t want too much congestion if things get worse,” officials wrote in a Facebook post.
A A red flag warning was in effect throughout the tri-state area Saturday for a large part of the day due to strong winds and the persistent dry conditions.
Crews are making progress in the fight against the Jennings Creek wildfire
Earlier in the day Saturday, residents of nearby Greenwood Lake cheered and held signs as firefighters and emergency responders drove by to thank them for their efforts in fighting last week’s massive wildfire.
The Jennings Creek Wildfire started on November 8 And has burned more than 5,000 acres throughout New York and New Jersey. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
The NYS DEC said this Friday evening the fire was 88% under control.
One death has been reported in connection with the fire; an 18-year-old New York State Parks employee was murdered on November 9 while assisting at the fire scene. Officials say he was hit by a falling tree.
