In an area known for its fall colors, its foliage was not the spotlight during this season, but rather the colors of reds and oranges have come from wildfires along the New York-New Jersey border.

“This is a major situation that we were dealing with,” Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said. “This fire has been going on on the Jersey side [and] is now spreading over to the New York side.”

What You Need To Know

  • The Jennings Creek Wildfire, with originated in West Milford, Passaic County, has spread to at least 2,500 acres and is 0% contained as of Sunday

  • Over the past week, there have been numerous brush fires in the region, starting from New Jersey and spreading into areas of New York

  • Now, dozens of crews across multiple counties are working to contain a wildfire that’s spread at least three-square miles

  • Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old Parks and Recreation Aid employed by the New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department, was killed on Saturday while battling a forest fire in Sterling Forest, located in Greenwood Lake, New York

The fires are leaving residents in impacted areas preparing to evacuate and one first responder dead. 

“It was somebody that was responding to the incident and trying to fight the fire,” Neuhaus said.

Officials say Dariel Vazquez, 18, a New York state forest ranger parks and recreation aide, died responding to the fire in Greenwood Lake. 

“It's laborious work,” Brighton Fire Department Chief Stephen MacAdam said. “So it's the extra stress people have. And it's the dangers of any kind. We want to make sure our firefighters get to go home. But we know there is a small risk in responding.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has deployed multiple response agencies to the fires. It's leaving local first responders across the state to be prepared for any course of action.

“It's a good reminder for our crews just to brush up on reminders of brush fires, forest fires and then the safety piece that goes through there,” MacAdam said. “So not only the equipment but how we're safe and how we can make sure our crews are safe. If we ever get a response to the call.”

The Jennings Creek Wildfire, with originated in West Milford, Passaic County, has spread to at least 2,500 acres and is 0% contained as of Sunday. It has become New Jersey's biggest wildfire of the season and continues to increase in size. It has spread into Orange County, New York.

“There's been a lot of people taking photos from our side of the lake where we live. [They are] doing that and just trying to provide information to other people in town or update friends and family,” West Milford resident Andrew Meher said.

It highlights the importance of the first responder's roles during this time.

“Our church and some other organizations and churches in the community and individuals have been bringing supplies for the firefighters that are fighting the blazes and stuff like that over to one of the local firehouses since last night,” Meher said.

“We call it a brotherhood or a sisterhood,” MacAdam said. “We all think if we could go down there, we would help, but we should all have their back. And think about that because we know that oftentimes they leave their families for an extended period of time. And we would take their place if they needed some extra help.”

“It's a really beautiful place and there's a lot of really incredible people here,” Meher said. “Hopefully there's other reasons to have a spotlight on this part of New Jersey and New York in the future.”