Brush fires erupt in New York amid strong winds
Brush fires have erupted in Long Island and near Brooklyn as strong winds in New York have made for an elevated risk of fire spread Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
A special weather statement was issued in New York, where a combination of “low relative humidity values near 30 percent and northwest winds gusting 30 to 35 mph” can potentially make fires spread quickly, the weather service said.
The impacted region includes Long Island, Westchester, and New York City’s five boroughs — Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx.
Around 7 million people are under wind alerts in New England, including in Albany and Boston.
Wind advisories in the region are expected to last through Saturday night, according to the weather service.
“Exercise caution handling any potential ignition sources, including machinery, cigarettes, and matches,” the weather service warned. “Any fires that ignite will have the potential to spread quickly.”
Agencies have responded to a brush fire in Long Island’s Central Pine Barrens in Suffolk County, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a post on X Saturday afternoon.
“We are in close communication with local partners on Long Island to coordinate assistance and make sure they have the resources they need to protect their communities,” Hochul wrote.
Video on social media showed plumes of smoke billowing from a fire near the Belt Parkway by Brooklyn.
The cause of the fires are not known at this time. There have been no reports of injuries.
Austin Mullen and Annemarie Bonner contributed.
