New York Wildfire Update: Maps, Tracker Show Counties Under Threat

Several New York counties remain on alert following multiple brush fires that broke out over the weekend.

Why It Matters

The fires, fueled by strong winds and dry conditions, forced road closures, evacuations, and a massive firefighting response.

The blazes in New York follow the wildfires that hit Southern California in January and, more recently, fires across North and South Carolina.

What To Know

The blazes began on Saturday afternoon along a highway heading out to the Hamptons on Long Island, Newsweek reported.

By the evening, three of the four fires were reported as fully contained. A Sunday report from ABC7 New York said the largest of the fires was at least 80 percent contained.

The fires forced the closure of parts of Sunrise Highway, a critical route for Long Island residents, and have led to the evacuation of the Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base as a precaution.

A state of emergency was declared by New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and around 100 fire companies were reportedly deployed to combat the fires, with additional support from the New York National Guard.

Radar imagery shared by the National Weather Service on Saturday showed smoke plumes emanating from Long Island. The NWS said this smoke blew offshore further downstream.

A fire danger map from New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation showed that 21 counties were considered to be high-risk:

Albany
Bronx
Columbia
Dutchess
Greene
Kings
Montgomery
Nassau
New York
Orange
Putnam
Queens
Rensselaer
Richmond
Rockland
Schenectady
Schoharie
Suffolk
Sullivan
Ulster
Westchester

The NWS has also advised small aircraft and boats to steer clear of the Long Island area due to windy conditions.

What People Are Saying

New York Governor Kathy Hochul said on X, formerly Twitter, Saturday: “I am issuing a State of Emergency as Suffolk County fights brush fires in the Pine Barrens. I have spoken to @ExecEdRomaine and offered any necessary State resources.

“We have @NationalGuardNY helicopters providing air support, and multiple state agencies are on the ground.”

Jesse Garcia, chairman of the Suffolk County & Brookhaven Town Republican Committees, wrote on X on Saturday: “Massive wildfire in the pine barrens. More than 70 fire companies and 20 EMS on site. Declaration of Emergency ordered. Thank you to all of the firefighters and first responders fighting this blaze. Praying for their safety.”

Fire Weather Watch for Seven States as Long Island Wildfires Burn

There were also at least seven states with fire weather watches in place from the NWS as of around 9 a.m. ET.

These included parts of Colorado, Utah, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, and South Dakota.

Additionally, the NWS issued special weather statements for parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, warning that there would an elevated risk of fire spread on Sunday afternoon.