Fire strikes West Hills County Park in Melville
Ten acres of West Hills County Park in Melville burned Sunday in a brush fire that took more than 100 firefighters about four hours to control.
The blaze broke out late Saturday night in a remote, wooded section of the 854-acre park near Mount Misery Road and was declared under control about 4 a.m. Sunday, said County Park Police Chief David Brewer.
The cause of the fire is unknown, but an investigation is unlikely because the blaze does not look suspicious, said Brewer and Melville Fire Chief Robert Warren.
No one was reported hurt.
Warren said the fire posed a serious threat to nearby homes because of high winds.
"There would have definitely been potential damage to neighboring homes if it wasn't for the mutual aid," Warren said.
Firefighters from at least nine departments battled the brush fire, authorities said.
Fire officials remained at the scene until about 10 a.m. Sunday, Brewer said.
Traffic in the area near Mount Misery Road and Sweet Hollow Road, including a nearby section of Northern State Parkway and Route 110, was slowed Sunday as firefighters fought the blaze, authorities said.
Melville resident James Donohue said he smelled the smoke well south of the blaze, near the Melville-Farmingdale border, as he drove home north from Copiague.
He said he saw "emergency vehicles coming from everywhere" on Route 110.
"It smelled like a fireplace. It smelled like firewood," said Donohue, 34, a commercial real estate salesman.
With Matthew Chayes
'We have to do better' Newsday high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.
'We have to do better' Newsday high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.
