State of emergency issued after series of brush fires break out on Long Island A series of brush fires erupted on Long Island Saturday, sending plumes of smoke into the air, which were visible from Connecticut and much of the tri-state area.
The fires, which began during the late morning and early afternoon, appeared to be fueled by a combination of low humidity and gusty winds reaching speeds of up to 40 mph.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency for Suffolk County and pledged state resources until the danger was over.
While the exact cause of the brush fires remains unclear, authorities were quick to point out there wasn’t any lightning in the region, leaving only human causes as the primary source.
Fortunately, due to the stiff northwesterly winds, smoke was largely carried offshore, leading to few air quality concerns across the metro.
In fact, air quality reading sites around New York City were in the "good" range on Saturday, indicating no significant health risks from the smoke.
Some of the plumes were large enough to be seen on radar, with returns indicating smoke and ash were heading over the Atlantic waters.
One firefighter was reported to be injured during the event and was receiving treatment at a nearby burn hospital.
Hochul confirmed that multiple state and local agencies had mobilized to combat the fires, with efforts coordinated to protect structures in the Pine Barrens area of Long Island.
"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 said in a statement.
At least two structures were damaged during the initial hours of the fires, although the flames appeared to be close to an industrial area, outside of an Air National Guard base in Westhampton Beach.
The winds were not strong enough to ground aerial resources, which were able to drop water around the flames.............
https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/new-york-wildfire-brush-smoke-weather-alert
