New York firefighters are responding to large-scale wildfires in Long Island’s Pine Barrens, about 80 miles east of Manhattan.
The flames, which started around 1 p.m. on Saturday, have prompted evacuations and forced officials to close eastbound parts of the Sunrise Highway, a road leading to the Hamptons. Officials believe separate fires ignited along a seven-mile stretch of the highway surrounding Eastport and Westhampton.
The Pine Barrens is a wooded, protected area spanning 105,000 acres in Suffolk County. In a statement posted to X, the county’s Executive Edward Romaine said the National Guard had started conducting water drops in the early afternoon.
No injuries have been reported and it’s still not clear what caused the blazes.
In news releases, Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul said she had declared a state disaster emergency and had spoken with Romaine about the fire and informed him New York is ready to provide any necessary resources.
Hochul deployed personnel from the Offices of Emergency Management, 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,” she said.
The Town of Southhampton separately declared a state of emergency from 3 p.m. through the next 30 days unless any changes are made to the proclamation.
Dry weather and high winds, along with damage to woodland areas caused by Southern Pine Beetle infestation, are exacerbating the conditions for dangerous wildfires, the town said in a statement. The National Weather Service warned about an elevated fire risk in the area on Saturday morning, with 30 percent humidity and North West winds gusting 30 to 35 mph.
A spokesperson for the Westhampton Beach Volunteer Fire Department, one of the dozens of authorities responding, told The Independent the fire is approximately 90 percent contained and expects it to be extinguished within the next couple of hours.
Winds continue to pose a threat to firefighting efforts, the spokesperson continued. Smoke conditions are improving.
