Greenfield Firefighters Support Multi-Agency Wildfire Response

Greenfield, Mass. — Late October 2026 — The Greenfield Fire Department's Drone Team was sent to help with the Cherry Plain Fire, a significant brush fire spreading from New York into Massachusetts. Agencies across the region worked together to manage the response. 

Firefighters first reported the fire on October 25 in Berlin, New York, and later it crossed the state line into Williamstown and Hancock, Massachusetts on October 25 in Berlin, New York, and later it crossed the state line into Williamstown and Hancock, Massachusetts, the fire later crossed the state line into Williamstown and Hancock, Massachusetts. The blaze burned a total of 251 acres, as crews struggled with steep, rocky, and remote terrain that complicated access. 

Chief Strahan and Captain Kimball operated Greenfield's specialized drone to map the fire area and provide incident commanders with aerial information about fire movement, growth and important landmarks. The data guided operational choices and assisted crews in monitoring conditions across inaccessible locations. 

Greenfield's Drone Team worked alongside local fire departments, Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) fire crews, Massachusetts State Police and other responding agencies. The Massachusetts National Guard also deployed helicopters to conduct water drops over remote sections of the mountain range.

Greenfield firefighters provided additional ground support as members of the Franklin County Hand Crew, working alongside DCR crews in continued wildfire suppression efforts.

The Drone Team later conducted another aerial assessment to check for remaining hot spots and review containment lines for signs of additional fire spread.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced that the fire was fully contained on October 27. Firefighters continued working on remaining areas inside the fire perimeter the following day.