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WEBVTT KRISTEN CAROSA IS IN WOODSTOCKNOW.KRISTEN: WE ARE STANDING ALONGROUTE 112, WHERE THE FIRECONTINUES TO BURN.CREWS ARE WORKING TO CONTROL THEFIRE FROM THE GROUND AND FROMABOVE.HELICOPTERS HAVE BEEN DROPPINGWATER DIRECTLY ONTO THE FLAMESALL-DAY.THIS FOREST FIRE'S BURNING ALONGKINSMAN RIDGE IN WORD STOCK.-- WOOD STOCK.IT STARTED LATE MONDAY NIGHT ORTUESDAY.MANY DRIVING ALONG ROUTE 112STOPPED TO WATCH.>> WE ARE FORTUNATE IT STAYED ONTHE SIDE OF THE RIDGE.REPORTER: CREWS STARTED THEIRDAY AT THE BASE OF THE LOSTRIVER GORGE.25 ACRES HAVE BURNED.>> SPLIT IT FROM THE BOTTOM INTOTWO DIVISIONS GOING UP EACH SIDEAND TRYING TO PUT CONTROL LINESTO CONTROL THE FIRE.REPORTER: 56 FIREFIGHTERS AREWORKING IN TOUGH TERRAIN DEALINGWITH 700 FEET OF ELEVATION.>> THE STEEPNESS AND THEELEVATION JUST ROUGH GOING, THEROCKS IS TOUGH DIGGING, TOO.THE FIRE IS GETTING DEEP INTOTHE SOIL.REPORTER: WORKING IN CONJUNCTIONWITH THE FIREFIGHTERS ARE TWOHELICOPTERS INCLUDING ABLACKHAWK WITH THE CAPACITY TODROP HUNDREDS OF GALLONS OFWATER AT A TIME.OFFICIALS ARE NOT SURE WHATCAUSED THE FIRE.A WITNESS TELLS NEWS 9 HE SAWWHAT APPEAR TO BE A METEORITEHIT THE RIDGEMONT AND IT.>> NORMALLY SEE THEM GOTHROUGH THE SKY.FOR THREE SECONDS I SAW A COUPLEOF BALLS OF FIRE.REPORTER: OFFICIALS CANNOT SAYWHAT STARTED IT BUT ACCORDING TOARTICLES PUBLISHED BY NASA,SIMILAR OBJECTS THAT FALL TOEARTH ARE NOT HOT WHEN IT HIT.THAT LIKELY WOULD NOT BE THECAUSE.>> HOPEFULLY, BY TOMORROW WEHAVE A CONTAINED.THEN WE'RE WORK ON THE HOTSPOTSFROM THEIR.REPORTER: CREWS WILL BE WORKINGON THIS FIRE UNTIL 6:00 TONIGHTAND THEY TELL US WE WILL BE BACKOUT HERE AT 7 A.M. TOMORROWMORNING.

Advertisement Firefighters battle growing forest fire in Woodstock Difficult terrain makes for dangerous firefighting conditions Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A Blackhawk helicopter is helping firefighters battle a forest fire in Woodstock that grew significantly overnight.The blaze, which is now being referred to as the Boulder Cave Fire, continued its march along Kinsman Ridge in Woodstock. It has burned about 25 acres."It's probably one of the worst places you can have a fire," firefighter Tom Sabourn said.Crews gathered Wednesday morning at the base of the Lost River Gorge and Boulder Caves parking area. Firefighters planned to split into two groups."We're going to attack it from the bottom, try to get the fire line around it, contain it," Chief John MacKay said.There is about 700 feet of elevation that firefighters have to deal with. Officials said it's sometimes impossible to walk, even though they are moving along what's technically a trail."It was basically going up on all fours to get up there, carrying your packs and tools," Sabourn said.The terrain has posed numerous challenges for the 66 firefighters from five towns who are fighting the blaze."There's a lot of fallen debris, rocks, trees," Sabourn said. "Safety first for all of our guys is the most important thing."Throughout the morning, firefighters also got help from above. A private helicopter was used to drop water and was later joined by a Blackhawk, which is capable of dropping hundreds of gallons of water at a time. Many people driving along Route 112 stopped to watch the flames and smoke."We are fortunate that it stayed on this side of the ridge," said David Tetley, who stopped to watch the fire. "It didn't go over last night."Officials said they aren't sure how the fire started. Witness Arthur Frenette claimed he saw a meteorite strike the ridge Monday night, but that would have been unlikely to have sparked a fire. Meteorites are typically cool when they reach the ground."Normally, you see them streak across the sky," Frenette said. "Well, this one fell straight down for three seconds, and I saw a couple balls of fire off the ridge, and that was it."Firefighters said it's likely that the fire started along one of the hiking trails in the area.People are asked not to use drones in the area due to ongoing aviation operations. Drones are a threat to these operations and will pit firefighters and the public at risk, officials said.Due to lack of significant rainfall in the state in recent weeks, more wildfires are possible, according to the state Division of Forests and Lands.Officials said they hope to have the fire contained by Thursday, although they will still likely be working on hot spots. Crews planned to work until 6 p.m. Wednesday before returning at 7 a.m. Thursday.