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The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for across Long Island, which is in the midst of a dry spell that could provide continued fuel for brush fires, with the Pine Barrens of chief concern.
The National Weather 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.
The Suffolk County Parks Department 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.
Brush fires have already started happening across Suffolk County in particular.
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 requiring an effort to protect homes and contain the flames.
See below from Friday, courtesy of the Medford Fire Department.
And in Riverhead on Saturday, firefighters responded to a 12:30 a.m. brush fire off Sound Avenue, which drew firefighters from 17 departments. The fire was brought under control about 10 a.m., but some 20 acres of land were affected.
No evacuations were needed, according to the Riverhead Town Police Department.
While brush fires on Long Island are typically brought under control without evacuations or much property damage during dry spells, always of particular safety and ecological concern is the Long Island Pine Barrens region of Suffolk County.
Wildfires spread through the Pine Barrens most recently in 1989, 1995 and 2012.
Meanwhile, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine has just announced the county’s emergency service has deployed members from 10 local fire departments to Orange County to assist with the ongoing Jennings Creek Wildfire.
“Our first responders are always prepared to answer the call to help wherever they are needed. I am proud of their commitment, and we thank them for their sacrifice,” Romaine announced today, Tuesday. “Our region has experienced one of the driest months on record, leading to extremely dry conditions and a real possibility of rapid fire spread if ignition occurs so we recognize the urgency of this matter.”
“Our residents can be assured that Suffolk County is home to 109 fire departments and still has sufficient resources to respond to emergencies locally,” said Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services commissioner Rudy Sunderman.
Video from Riverhead:
Top photos courtesy of Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services.
What you can do
Avoid recreational fires, always have a fire extinguisher nearby, fully extinguish any flames, and report uncontrolled fires immediately. Also, be cautious when extinguishing cigarettes and remain aware of any signs of fire.
