Long Island brush fires trigger state of emergency in New York
Crews are battling brush fires on New York's Long Island amid dry conditions and strong wind gusts.
An official estimate Sunday said the wildfire in Westhampton, Suffolk County is 80% contained after winds died down overnight, bolstering the effort to get it under control after Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency.
"We have about 600 acres burned. Two commercial buildings that suffered damage. There are no residential buildings that have been damaged or threatened at this time, and there are no evacuations at this moment, and we hope it to stay that way. But as the day goes on, we'll be able to proceed from there," said Lewis Scott, second assistant chief for the Westhampton Beach Fire Department.
Though no residents are currently in the line of fire, officials said people in the vicinity should be prepared in case evacuations become necessary.
Roads and highways that were shut down have reopened, officials said.
Brush fires erupt on Long Island's East End
Helicopters have dropped nearly 700 gallons of water since the first brush fire started at around 1 p.m. Saturday in Center Moriches. That fire spread and sparked additional ones in East Moriches, Eastport and Westhampton, County Executive Ed Romaine said Saturday afternoon at a press conference.
The fires in Center Moriches, East Moriches and Eastport have been extinguished, said Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services Commissioner Rudy Sunderman.
One firefighter suffered burns to the face and was flown to the burn center at Stony Brook University Hospital, Romaine said. Officials say he "is doing OK."
Two commercial buildings were damaged by flames – one on County Route 31 and another on Francis S. Gabreski Airport property, Sunderman said.
"There's multiple agencies with multiple jurisdictions working closely with us from the state, county, town, assisting us with fire operations, law enforcement, and we thank everybody for their support," Sunderman said.
Sunrise Highway was shut down past exit 58, along with Speonk Riverhead Road, officials said. Both have reopened.
"When you come and you drive on Sunrise Highway ... you will see that the fire came right up to the road, right up to Sunrise," Romaine said, "but it did not jump the highway."
"They should have their medicines, have a bag ready just in case," Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico said. "Thankfully, the concerted effort, the cooperative effort of everyone is likely going to keep this from being the fire of '95, which burned 4,500 acres, but the winds can be deadly, and right now, that's the biggest problem we have in fighting this fire."
Governor issues state of emergency for Suffolk County brush fires
Hochul issued a state of emergency in response to the fires Saturday afternoon.
"I've declared a state of emergency to secure resources immediately. This is an evolving situation, and air quality is a concern — New Yorkers need to monitor the latest emergency alerts and prepare to evacuate if necessary," the governor said in a statement.
Hochul said 100,000 N95 masks would be shipped to the area first thing Sunday morning.
In a statement Saturday afternoon, Hochul said she spoke with Romaine and "informed him that the State of New York is here to provide any resources and support he needs."
Hochul said that the New York National Guard was deployed to provide air support, along with personnel from the "Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, State Parks and the New York State Police."
"Public safety is my top priority, and I'm committed to doing everything possible to keep Long Islanders safe," Hochul said.
Gusty winds help brush fires spread on Long Island
The cause of the initial fire is unknown at this time, but officials say strong winds caused it to spread.
"With this wind, a spark will simply ignite it. This is something that we're going to have to watch probably over the next few days," Romaine said.
"It's going to be a dangerous night. The fire is only 50% contained. Thirty mile an hour winds are going to keep pushing this two-mile-wide blaze toward Quogue," Panico said.
The CBS News New York First Alert Weather Team said wind gusts would drop overnight Saturday, but strengthen again by Sunday afternoon.
Gusts between 30-40 mph combined with dry fuels and low humidity levels will lead to a continued risk of wildfire development through the rest of the weekend. A slight increase in humidity levels and a drop in wind speeds will decrease the wildfire risk for next week.
