Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency as wildfires spread across the Pine Barrens region, east of New York City. The fires have threatened homes, a chemical plant, and an Amazon warehouse, prompting immediate action from state agencies.
As dense smoke engulfs much of Long Island, authorities closed a major highway, and they evacuated a nearby military base. The fires continue to threaten more buildings, and emergency responders remain on high alert.
Firefighting efforts underway as highway closed and evacuations ordered
Most of the fires are concentrated in the Pine Barrens area. By Saturday evening, authorities contained three out of the four fires, while they had brought the fire in Westhampton to 50% control.
Due to the firefighting efforts, authorities temporarily closed a section of Sunrise Highway, which runs from Brooklyn to Montauk Point State Park. The New York Department of Transportation confirmed the closure on Saturday evening.
Governor Hochul later announced the state of emergency and stated that National Guard helicopters were assisting with air support. Additionally, multiple state agencies are helping on the ground. “I have spoken to County Executive Ed Romaine and offered all available state resources,” she added.
Impact on local communities and emergency response
Governor Hochul explained that the fires are still out of control. As a result, authorities evacuated residents from Westhampton due to the rapidly growing flames.
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine reported that one firefighter suffered second-degree burns to the face and was hospitalised. Fortunately, no other injuries have been reported so far.
Videos on social media show the intensity of the fires. Flames rise into the sky, and thick smoke billows above the roads.
The wildfires in Long Island remind us of the 1995 Sunrise Fire. It burned over 5,000 acres of the Pine Barrens Nature Preserve and forced hundreds of residents to evacuate.
These fires come just two months after the destructive wildfires in Southern California, which killed 29 people and scorched nearly 60,000 acres of land.
