Syracuse wildfire spreads rapidly, threatens nearby homes

Firefighters in Syracuse fought a large wildfire on Wednesday night. The flames reached up to 30 feet high. Strong winds and dry conditions helped the fire spread quickly. The fire started around 6:57 p.m. near Holden Street and Grand Avenue, close to Rosamond Gifford Zoo and residential areas. Many calls came into the Onondaga County 911 Center as black smoke became visible for miles. When firefighters arrived, they found a significant wildfire in a retention basin filled with dry shrubs and trees. They had to cut padlocks to access the area and battled the flames from nearby streets and parks. Winds gusting up to 30 mph created dangerous conditions. Embers blew several hundred feet and ignited a tree near the zoo, but that fire was quickly put out. Firefighters worked hard to protect nearby homes and contained the blaze using high-capacity hoses. A helicopter and a police drone helped monitor the fire's spread. Some callers mistakenly thought the smoke came from a Bank of America building, leading to a response from multiple fire departments. It took firefighters about two hours to extinguish the fire, which burned approximately 4 to 5 acres. There were no injuries reported. The cause of the fire is still being investigated.