Medford volunteer firefighter nabbed for igniting brush fire

As the ongoing dry weather continues to provide fuel for brush fires across Suffolk County, police said on Wednesday that a Medford volunteer firefighter has been arrested for intentionally setting fire to a wooded area Tuesday afternoon.

Cops charged 20-year-old Jonathan Quiles of Meyer Lane in Medford with fourth- and fifth-degree arson and second-degree reckless endangerment. He is expected to be arraigned on the charges in Suffolk’s First District Court in Central Islip on Wednesday.

The Medford Fire Department volunteer firefighter allegedly started a brush fire about 3:35 p.m. in the woods adjacent to Mount Vernon Avenue, not far from busy Route 112, police said. The fire damaged a 2004 Chevrolet parked nearby.

Suffolk Arson Section detectives carried out the investigation that led to Quiles’ arrest.

Suffolk County District attorney Raymond Tierney expressed extreme disappointment that Quiles could not be held in custody.

“Unfortunately, under New York’s ‘Bail Reform,’ intentionally setting fires in the midst of the dangerously dry conditions and a statewide burn ban are not bail eligible offenses, meaning my prosecutors cannot even ask for bail on these charges,” he said. “Our New York lawmakers need to get their act together and pass common sense fixes to a broken bail system.”

A 2020 graduate of Patchogue-Medford High School, Quiles was a member of the school’s unified basketball team.

The National Weather Service this week has issued a Red Flag Warning for across Long Island, which is in the midst of a long dry spell, with Suffolk’s Pine Barrens of chief concern. The service’s hazardous weather outlook is in effect for all of southern Connecticut, northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York, including Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Suffolk County Parks has issued a ban on all campfires and open flames in all county parks due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels that would create a significant elevated fire growth potential in the event of a spark, officials said.

Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hocul on Tuesday issued a statewide burn ban, as fire crews from throughout the state continue to battle wildfires in Ulster, Sullivan and Orange counties. There have been numerous brush fires across Suffolk County.

The governor said it’s “absolutely critical that New Yorkers avoid any outdoor burning at this time.”

Late Friday night, the Medford Fire Department responded to a large brush fire near Sipp and Southaven avenues, emergency officials said, with another discovered nearby that required an effort to contain the flames and protect homes.

Prior coverage

Brush fires continue amid dry spell, fuel growing concerns on Long Island

_{Top image: Medford Fire Department}