Three helicopters dumped hundreds of gallons of lake water on a brush fire that had spread across an estimated 85 acres in a hilly, wooded area off Torne Valley Road. More than 130 firefighters from seven Rockland departments, including Tallman, fought the flames on the ground as the fire spread into county and Palisades Interstate Park land. No injuries were reported and no homes were threatened.
Officials initially warned the fire could burn for days, but crews had extinguished 85 to 90 percent of the flames by nightfall, according to Rockland Fire and Emergency Services. The rocky, steep terrain made the ground assault difficult — hoses couldn’t reach the remote area, so firefighters relied on hand tools. Smoke could be smelled as far south as Exit 14 on the Thruway in Airmont.
Firefighters received air support from helicopters out of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and Westchester County, refilling from Pine Meadow Lake and dropping water until about 6 p.m. The cause remained under investigation; the fire appeared to have started near a utility substation, and crews worked with Orange and Rockland Utilities and Consolidated Edison as part of that investigation.