Wildfire in Upstate NY State Park Contained, Roads Reopen

KERHONKSON, N.Y. (AP) — Officials say U.S. Route 44/state Route 55 near a Hudson Valley state park has reopened after firefighters fully contained a wildfire.

State Forest Ranger Capt. Steve Scherry tells the Middletown Times Herald-Record (http://bit.ly/291JjCP ) the road near Minnewaska State Park in Kerhonkson opened to traffic late Monday.

Officials say the blaze began Saturday afternoon on a cliff near a scenic overlook along the Ulster County road — the same location of a 2008 blaze. It may have been started by a campfire.

Fire coordinators say more than two dozen acres of forest burned. More than 350 volunteer firefighters were called to the scene.

Firefighters placed a barrier around the blaze by using a hand-dug trench and a bulldozer line.

Firefighters will continue putting out the fire on Tuesday.

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Information from: The Times Herald-Record, http://www.th-record.com

[STORY BY: THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]