Residents of Long Island are urged to exercise extreme caution as the region continues to face an elevated risk for fire spread. This warning comes one day after a significant brush fire in Riverhead, which involved volunteers from 18 fire departments, and the tragic death of a state parks employee in an Orange County wildfire.
Despite the lapse of a Red Flag Warning and forecasts of rain for Sunday evening, the National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch due to ongoing moderate drought conditions. Suffolk County Fire Rescue and Emergency Services Commissioner Rudy Sunderman emphasized the necessity for vigilance, stating, "The rain will be helpful but it's not enough to dampen down the potential spread of fires. We still have an elevated risk."
Officials are advising residents against lighting outdoor fires, including in backyard fire pits, and have implemented a ban on campfires at county campgrounds through the weekend. Wind gusts reaching up to 20 miles per hour have further complicated the situation.
The Riverhead Fire Department reported that 17 fire departments collaborated to combat a 20-acre fire in Baiting Hollow, which began early Saturday morning and required over eight hours to control. A volunteer from the Ridge Fire Department was treated for smoke inhalation during the incident.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the New York State Fire Ranger's Office. Multiple fire departments also responded to additional fires in Medford and Coram during the Red Flag Warning.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that state parks personnel have been assigned to fire watch duty in several parks due to their proximity to the Baiting Hollow Fire. She also expressed condolences regarding the death of Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old aide who lost his life while battling a wildfire in Sterling Forest.
Authorities reported that the ongoing dry conditions have led to multiple wildfires across New York, prompting air quality alerts in New York City and surrounding counties. Meteorologist David Stark noted that while rain is expected Sunday evening, it will only amount to a quarter to half an inch, insufficient to alleviate the drought conditions.
October recorded the driest month in the region since 1963, with only 0.12 inches of rainfall.