18-year-old volunteer parks employee dies while battling wildfire in upstate NY

An 18-year-old  New York State Forest Ranger and state employee was killed on Saturday  while battling a wildfire in Orange County’s Sterling Forest, near the New York-New Jersey border.

According to state police, Dariel Vasquez, a Parks and Recreation aide employed by the New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department, was helping mitigate the forest fire in Greenwood Lake (about 35 miles northwest of New York City.). when he was killed. Greenwood Lake Mayor Tom Howley wrote in a statement “Sadly, we have received news of the line-of-duty death of a NYS Forest Ranger Volunteer. Our deepest condolences go out to their family and fellow rangers.”

Orange County’s Sterling Forest fire is also affecting Passaic County, New Jersey — where it’s been dubbed the Jennings Creek Wildfire, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The Jennings Creek Fire is burning in the area of Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road in West Milford, Passaic County, as well as in Orange County, New York.  The NJ Fire Service said that the Jennings Creek Fire has burned 2,500 acres and was 0% contained as of Sunday afternoon. The fire service added that about 25 structures are threatened, though none have been evacuated. The NJ Forest Fire Service said on X: “Multiple fires are burning in Orange County, where County Executive Steve Neuhaus is encouraging residents living near the fires to have an evacuation plan. Forest Fire Service helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water is on scene.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement Sunday: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of one of our New York State Parks employees while responding to a wildfire in Orange County yesterday. My prayers go out to his family, friends and coworkers during this difficult time. With recent drought conditions, there have been multiple wildfires ignited across the state, and we have deployed state assets and agencies to coordinate with local first responders in fighting these fires while closely monitoring air quality as a result of them. The safety of all New Yorkers is my top priority, and I urge everyone in impacted areas, especially those vulnerable, to stay alert, monitor air quality, and take necessary precautions to stay safe.”

The Jennings Creek Fire was one of several blazes in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast this weekend amid an ongoing drought, dry air and high winds with 11 million people remaining under fire alerts as of Sunday. Cities under fire alerts include Boston and Hartford.  A slow-moving moisture front is continuing to advance east, bringing much-needed precipitation to the eastern third of the country, which includes the Northeast. Showers will move into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic later Sunday evening and overnight, but rainfall totals will be relatively light, ranging from 0.5 inches to 1 inch.

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