Smoke covers Greenwood Lake as firefighters 'fight fire with fire'
Village officials have advised residents to be prepared for another smoky day Friday as firefighters are planning more controlled burns.
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Some Greenwood Lake residents are evacuating again, mainly because of the smoke that's being generated by controlled burns east of the lake.
Firefighters are bringing under control a wildfire that had grown to 5,000 acres by Monday afternoon.
Some residents near or along East Shore Road told News 12 they covered furniture and fixtures with plastic Wednesday before evacuating Thursday morning before firefighters began a series of controlled burns to deprive the wildfire of fuel.
Tyler Saladino, 16, shared with News 12 cellphone video he shot of smoke covering his neighborhood.
Saladino evacuated Monday to stay with family north of the lake, and returned Wednesday to protect the family's home from the incoming smoke.
"Yesterday, I went to my house and packed up a whole truck of things," the high school sophomore said.
Firefighters were conducting a 2-mile controlled burn - close to Saladino's house - to remove dry vegetation and isolate the fire. Firefighters and village officials said Wednesday the strategy was safe to employ Thursday because the wind had slowed down.
Saladino is confident the 100-plus fire companies will hold the line and protect his home.
He voluntarily evacuated mainly because of the smoke.
"That unsettling-type breathing that you had to do," he said of the air in hi neighborhood. "You could sense that this isn't good. It was very dangerous."
Dr. Dipak Chandy, professor of medicine and neurology at Westchester Medical Center, told News 12 Thursday morning that smoke from wildfires contains tiny particles; when inhaled, they can affect people in the short and long terms.
"These particles are about 30 times smaller than the width of a human hair," he said, "so these particles can actually go deep into the lungs when we breathe."
Dr. Chandy said people with Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease may suffer long-term if they are exposed to the smoke long-term.
He said people without lung disease may develop a short-term cough, but should be unaffected long-term. Village officials have advised residents to be prepared for another smoky day Friday as firefighters are planning more controlled burns.
Interviews with Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus
Interviews with Greenwood Lake Mayor Thomas Howley
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