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OutdoorsWednesday, November 4

State asks the public to avoid the Berlin forest area as crews finish work on last week's wildfire

The Today in Schenectady teamFrom today’s edition · 1 min read · 4 sources

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If you hike the Taconic ridge, skip it for now. The state Department of Environmental Conservation is asking people to stay away while crews finish addressing the wildfire, and the closure runs until further notice, from Mattison Hollow to Berlin Mountain.

  • Closed: Taconic Crest Trail and Mattison Hollow Trail
  • Closed: Berlin State Forest and Taconic Ridge State Forest
  • Fire status: contained, some areas still burning inside the perimeter
  • Cause: investigation ongoing

The wildfire was big and hard to reach

250 acres
burned in Berlin State Forest, more than
4
trails and forests now closed to the public
1.5 to 2 miles
of hiking from the trailhead to reach the fire

The fire burned more than 250 acres after firefighters began work Sunday, Oct. 25. Teams from New York, Vermont and Massachusetts worked together after the blaze spread into Berkshire County.

The Berlin wildfire went from first response to closures in about a week

  1. Oct. 25Firefighters begin working the Berlin State Forest wildfire.
  2. Oct. 26Fire tops 50 acres and spreads into Berkshire County.
  3. Oct. 27Stephentown's fire chief says the fire is 100% contained.
  4. Nov. 3 asks the public to avoid the area as crews still work.

Sources: Spectrum News Capital Region, WRGB, wnyt.com

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