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Located in Ulster County, the fire, known as the Napanoch Point Fire in the Minnewaska State Park in Ellenville, was believed to have started on Saturday, Aug. 27 by a lightning strike.
More than 200 state and local firefighters from across the region have been battling the blaze that continues to grown.
Ulster County Executive Pat Ryan said the fire continues to increase in size due to vegetation, terrain, and weather conditions.
A new fire, the Stony Kill Fire at Minnewaska State Park Preserve has also developed, which crews are responding to, assessing, and working to contain, Ryan said.
"I want to thank Governor Kathy Hochul and all of the first responders who have worked tirelessly during this wildfire," Ryan said. "We will continue to work to limit the spread of the fire and I ask all residents to be mindful of the dry season that we are in and take necessary precautions to reduce the chances of further fires."
Currently, all entry points to Minnewaska State Park Preserve, including the Sam’s Point Area, will be closed until further notice, to maintain public safety, officials said.
Anyone with reservations for Saturday, Sunday, or Monday over the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend will be notified and refunded. All visitors must adhere to these closures, Ryan said.
Over the next 24 hours, the response team will be committing an additional 60 firefighters to the operation, and doubling resources to four helicopters for airdrops and 24 all-terrain vehicles.
Ryan said there will be firefighting activities on Berme Road from Port Bend to Ellenville, working on installing a contingency line.
"Expect to visually see smoke coming off the fires on the mountain," he said.
All campfires and open burning are currently banned in Mid-Hudson Region State Parks, state officials said.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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