Fort Drum, N.Y. - A fire burning on an artillery range at Fort Drum in Jefferson County cannot be reached by firefighters due to safety concerns over unexploded artillery, a military spokesperson said.
The fire is on Range 48, an ordnance impact area, which soldiers use to test weapons and artillery, according to Fort Drum spokesperson Julie Halpin.
“The fire is several acres,” she said Saturday. “It’s hard to speculate on size because we cannot see directly into that area.”
Firefighters would be able to knock the fire down if it came close to structures or people, she said.
Smoke from the fire has reached parts of Fowler, Antwerp and Gouverneur due to winds coming from the south, Halpin said.
The fire was started last weekend by artillery practice, according to Halpin. It was kno