Crews were battling several brush fires on New York’s Long Island Saturday.
The first fire started around 1 p.m. in Center Moriches before it spread and sparked additional fires in East Moriches, Eastport and Westhampton, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said at a press conference Saturday afternoon.
The fires in Center Moriches, East Moriches and Eastport have been extinguished, and the fire in Westhampton is 50% contained, 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 is shut down past exit 58, along with Speonk Riverhead Road, officials say.
“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.”
Officials say no residents are currently in the line of fire, but those in the vicinity should be prepared in the event that evacuations become necessary.
“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
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency in response to the fires.
She said in a statement Saturday afternoon that she had spoken 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 had been 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 ongoing winds, along with very low levels of humidity, were creating an increased risk of wildfire development throughout the weekend.
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