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The weekend wildfires that scorched hundreds of Pine Barrens acres in eastern Suffolk County this weekend was sparked by people roasting marshmallows in their Manorville backyard, police said.
Residents of a Manorville home were making s’mores and using cardboard to light the flames, according to Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina.
“Residents of a home on North Cozine Road in Manorville attempted to start a fire to make s’mores at approximately 9:30 a.m. on March 8 and were unable to get it lit due to the wind and put cardboard on it in a continued attempt to ignite, which was unsuccessful,” a Suffolk Police spokesperson said.
At about 10:15 a.m., 911 was called because the backyard was ablaze, as a result of the prior fire attempt, police said. The Center Moriches Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire.
Police said embers from that fire had unknowingly spread.
At 12:57 p.m., a fire was reported on the south side of Sunrise Highway, about 1/8 of a mile away from the home on North Cozine Road. And shortly later, more fires were reported on Chapman Boulevard and Route 111 in Manorville.
“Detectives believe the origin of these fires stemmed from the initial backyard fire on North Cozine Road,” the police department spokesperson said.
The fires spread from Manorville to the Moriches to Eastport, and finally to Westhampton, authorities said. Catalina said dozens of detectives are involved in the investigation, including arson detectives who have been conducting aerial surveys by helicopter and interviewing the 911 callers who reported the fires.
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico, upon learning of the fire cause, said residents need to stay aware of weather conditions that can quickly escalate small fires into dangerous situations.
“People need to be extremely mindful during these prolonged arid periods without precipitation that even a small backyard fire pit could cause a mass conflagration if the wind take the embers to adjoining properties,” he said.
The last of the four East End wildfires is under control in Westhampton and officials have deemed the wildfires contained.
Dry weather and high winds — together with damage to woodland areas caused by the Southern pine beetle — created the perfect storm for fast-moving wildfires to ignite and spread across the Pine Barrens along the south side of Sunrise Highway over the weekend, starting around 1 p.m. Saturday.
The blazes stretched from Center Moriches to Westhampton, with the last having lingered around Gabreski Airport.
Nearly 100 fire departments responded
Over 90 volunteer fire and EMS agencies contributed to the effort, “including 11 crews from Nassau County who stepped up to provide coverage for Suffolk County,” read a statement from Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services. “Your dedication does not go unnoticed.”
Local weather forecasts show less wind this week, though they are also predicting a dry week. No rain is in the forecast until Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Meanwhile, Gov. Kathy Hochul has issued an immediate burn ban for all of Long Island and New York City, prohibiting residents from starting outdoor fires to destroy brush and debris, and uncontained campfires. On Satrday, Hochul had declared a state of emergency in Suffolk.
Top photo: Manorville Fire Department members heading into the wildfires (via Manorville Fire Department).
