Amid high-risk fire conditions with lower humidity and gusts, multiple wildfires broke out on Long Island on Saturday, forcing part of a Suffolk County highway to close and attracting reactions from dozens of agencies.
Suffolk County executive Ed Romaine said in a press conference Saturday night that a firefighter was hospitalized with a second-degree burn on his face. He said the fire also burned two structures.
“We maximized our firefighting capabilities to stop this fire from spreading, and then we tried to contain it,” Roma Mayn said. “But I’m not going to be under control as I said.”
Mr Roman added that he did not completely extinguish until Sunday due to the strong winds.
Suffolk County Fire Coordinator Rudy Sunderman said in a press conference that by Saturday night, fires in the Westhampton area totaled about 50%.
In an earlier statement, Mr Roman said more than 80 institutions were involved in the fight in three fires east of Long Island.
“The National Guard has started the water dump,” he said in a statement.
A HH-60W Jolly Green II helicopter from the 106th Rescue Wing and a Ronkonkoma-based New York Army National Guard helicopter are helping, the New York National Guard said in a press release.
Fire trucks and crew from the Francis Gabreski National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach were also deployed. The National Guard said the evacuation of the base was a preventive measure.
Bill Dalton, former head of Westhampton Beach Fire Department, is helping to coordinate the department’s response, saying several departments have deployed carbs that are smaller fire trucks designed to strike with wildfires.
The drone was mobilized to enjoy aerial views of the fire, which stretched a seven-mile radius around Westhampton and Eastport on the south shore.
“We have a lot of assets on the ground and there’s a lot of communication about hot spots,” he said. “They surfaced throughout the process.”
According to the Southampton Police Department, New York State Police confirmed that all lanes on the Sunrise Expressway are closed between Exit 62 and Exit 64. The southbound journey of No. 31 County Road is also closed.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the fire was in the pine barrels, a 105,000-acre nature park. A spokesman Avi Small said the governor declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon.
“We are in close communication with local partners in Long Island to coordinate assistance and ensure they have the resources they need to protect their communities,” Ms. Hochul said on social media.
The National Weather Service earlier warned on social media that low humidity, northwest winds of 30 to 35 miles an hour would cause “an increase in the risk of fire spread.”
On Saturday, the forecast was realized.
“We have gusts of Arctic winds, and they make it difficult for them to easily contain any fires,” Jay Engle, a meteorologist with the Meteorological Service, said of the situation on Saturday at Long Island.
The wind is expected to calm down overnight and humidity levels will increase, allowing firefighters to rest. But the wind is expected to return on Sunday.
“There will be another fire risk tomorrow,” Mr. Engel said.
The fire dominated the conversations on Quogue East Pub. Kieran Marsicovetere, 34, of East Quogue, said he saw heavy smoke and “some ashes falling from the sky” early in the afternoon.
He said the situation did not seem as terrible as the brush fire that burned thousands of acres in the same area in 1995. He said he was still “immediately worried.”
“It’s a terrible situation, especially in the wildfires in Carolina and California,” he said. “The barren areas of pine trees are always a place of concern.”
On the Montauk Highway in Westhampton, police cars blocked the road to Francis Gabriski Airport.
Salvatore Fracapane, 19, watched the live fire report at a nearby convenience store. He said he saw the smoke and smelled “burning wood chips” around 1 p.m. and saw “fire trucks from anywhere” rushing towards the scene.
“I think it’s serious, seeing all these fire trucks here,” he said.
Amy Graff,,,,, Natalie Chandler and Simon J. Levien Contribution report.
