Category Archives: nature

WILDFIRE SEASON (cont.)

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PROSPECT PARK WILDFIRE
https://fireweatheravalanche.org/fire/state/new-york
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/868dc40a5311480b8fbe34db839d915d
https://6sqft.com/prospect-park-wildfire-scorches-two-acres-amid-record-breaking-dry-spell/
Prospect Park wildfire scorches two acres amid record-breaking dry spell
by Aaron Ginsburg  /  November 11, 2024

“More than 100 firefighters battled a brush fire in Prospect Park on Friday night that charred two acres of greenery, occurring during one of the longest dry spells in New York City’s history. The blaze, which broke out in the Nethermead near the Prospect Park Boathouse, was reported around 6:40 p.m., according to AMNY. After the fire, Mayor Eric Adams banned grilling in city parks as the five boroughs remain under a drought watch. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, it has been linked to the city’s dry conditions.

Last month marked the driest October in NYC history, and before Sunday’s rain, the second-longest rainless streak since records began in 1869. NYC remains under a drought watch, instated by Adams on the morning of the fire. The measure instructs city agencies to update their water conservation measures and prepare to implement them while urging the public to conserve water as much as possible. The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning due to the combination of dry conditions, above-average temperatures, and low humidity, which elevate the risk of wildfires. Meanwhile, New Jersey is battling the Jennings Creek wildfire, which has burned more than 3,000 acres across the Garden State as of Monday, according to The Guardian.

To protect the city’s green spaces against potential fires, Adams has banned grilling in city parks. “As New York City’s historic streak of dry weather creates new safety risks, today, we are taking additional measures to keep New Yorkers safe,” Adams said. “Effective immediately, we are prohibiting grilling in our parks, and we need all New Yorkers to take commonsense steps to prevent brush fires. Getting through this drought will take all of us working together, and every drop counts, so let’s keep doing our part to save as much water as we can.” Zachary Iscol, the city’s commissioner of emergency management, predicts that the drought watch will likely escalate to a drought warning, as weather experts anticipate a dry November and December across the tri-state region, according to the New York Times. There are three escalating levels of drought declarations, each imposing stricter water conservation measures for both city agencies and residents.”

INWOOD PARK WILDFIRE
https://mapofire.com/state/new-york#5.8/40.713/-74.006
https://fox5ny.com/brush-fire-upper-manhattan-sends-smoke-billowing-over-nyc-skyline
Firefighters battle stubborn wildfires in Queens and Manhattan
by Alex Meier  /  November 13, 2024

“New York City firefighters are working around the clock to contain multiple wildfires in Manhattan and Queens as dry conditions continue to fuel the flames. The FDNY has deployed around 140 firefighters to battle a blaze in Manhattan’s Inwood Park. The fire, which broke out around 3 p.m. According to officials, the fire is located on a steep, heavily wooded hill, creating challenging terrain for crews to traverse. Officials in Manhattan should expect to smell smoke, and residents near the fire were advised to close windows and avoid the area. The FDNY anticipates crews will remain on-site through the night to ensure the fire is contained. “The FDNY is utilizing multiple units, including drones, Marine Units, and Brush Fire Units,” the FDNY tweeted.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine posted dramatic video of flames surrounding a walking path. In Queens, Sky Fox captured footage of fire trucks with flashing lights at Alley Pond Park, where another brush fire was reported. While the extent of that fire remains unclear, firefighters are actively working to prevent it from spreading. High fire danger impacting millions of people across New York and New Jersey is forecast to last through the weekend, as the region remains bone-dry with little to no rain on the horizon. The lack of rain and extremely dry conditions have contributed to over 229 fires across New York City recently. In New Jersey firefighters continue to battle the Jennings Creek Fire in West Milford. The fire straddling the New York and New Jersey state lines is 30% contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.”

 

TRI STATE WILDFIRES
https://data.democratandchronicle.com/fires/
https://accuweather.com/wildfires-cause-smoky-skies-air-quality-issues-in-new-york-city
Wildfires caused smoky skies, air quality issues in New York City
by Monica Danielle  /  Nov 11, 2024

“New York City has been shrouded in hazy skies and a strong smoke smell as dangerous wildfires continue to cause bad air quality across the Tri-State region amid a historic drought this past weekend. On Saturday, an acrid, smoky odor spread throughout the city, lasting well into the evening after fires broke out on Friday in Brooklyn, the Bronx and nearby New Jersey, areas that are not typically prone to wildfires but are experiencing a significant drought.

Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed that multiple wildfires are burning across New York state, particularly in the Hudson Valley, Long Island, and the Catskills region. She announced a multiagency response to combat fires engulfing hundreds of acres in Ulster, Sullivan and Orange counties. A forest ranger died battling a brush fire along the New York-New Jersey border Saturday night. Firefighters responded to a forest fire near the Greenwood Lake Turnpike along state lines in Orange County when a tree fell on the ranger, killing him, Eastern Dutchess County Fire and Rescue wrote in a Facebook post. “Orange County Emergency Services wishes to extend our condolences as we mourn the passing of a dedicated service member we lost today during the Greenwood Lake brush fire response,” the agency said on Facebook.

On Friday evening, firefighters in New York City responded to a call about a fire in Prospect Park. Over 100 emergency responders worked for three hours to extinguish the blaze. One firefighter sustained a minor injury, and the cause of the fire remains unknown. At the same time, a brush fire erupted in Highbridge Park in the Bronx, requiring 25 firefighters roughly two and a half hours to control. Diana Finch, a resident of the Bronx Park East neighborhood, noticed the smoky scent seeping through her bedroom windows early Saturday morning. “It smelled like a wood fire,” she told The NY Times.

An air quality alert was issued for New York City, the Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey through 12:15 a.m. Monday as smoke continued to consume the skies. Red flag warnings were in effect from the Garden State to the Big Apple and southern Connecticut until 6 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. The smoky smell woke Desi Yvette, 36, in her Williamsburg, Brooklyn, home around 2 a.m. Saturday. “I thought maybe there was a fire nearby, but I didn’t hear any sirens. So I was like, I don’t think it’s an emergency or we would have been alerted. But it does smell bad,” Yvette told The NY Times as she walked her dog on Saturday.

AccuWeather broadcaster Anna Azallion reported that the air quality in New York City was poor on Sunday morning, with a rating of 60, which is unhealthy for sensitive groups. “People with asthma, other breathing issues, and lung problems should avoid being outside as the smoke will be an issue throughout Sunday,” she advised. She added that while the wind is expected to shift north on Sunday, which may improve air quality concerns in New York City, the fire danger remains high. Some rain came Sunday night into Monday morning, but the fire risk is expected to persist on Tuesday as humidity lowers and the breeze picks up.

The combination of dry brush, fallen leaves, warm days and windy episodes have created ideal brush fire weather conditions this weekend and will likely do so midweek again. The last thorough soaking in most of the Northeast was in late September. The dry conditions have not only increased the risk of wildfires but have also caused streams and reservoirs to drop to low levels. Many bogs and ponds in New Jersey have dried up. While AccuWeather meteorologists say rain is coming to the Northeast in the near future, it may not have a huge impact on the drought conditions that continue to build in the region.

Amid this particularly dry fall, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a drought watch last week and urged residents in 15 counties to conserve water. The ongoing drought has contributed to the uptick in brush fires, and city officials are pushing for increased vigilance and water conservation as the drought is expected to continue for the next two months. A drought watch was issued by the DEC for the following counties: Bronx, Delaware, Dutchess, Greene, Kings, New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Schoharie, Sullivan, Ulster and Westchester.

Zach Iscol, Commissioner of New York City Emergency Management, stressed the reality of climate change and its various manifestations, including an increased frequency of wildfires, News 12 The Bronx reported. “Every New Yorker needs to understand that we now live in a time of extreme weather. Climate change is real. It’s here. Generally, when you think about climate change, you think of floods, you think about rising sea levels. But the fact is, it manifests itself in a lot of different ways.”

PREVIOUSLY

SUBTROPICAL NEW YORK
https://spectrevision.net/2020/12/03/hardiness-zones/
SURVIVING the PYROCENE
https://spectrevision.net/2020/09/11/surviving-the-pyrocene/
WILDFIRE MICROBIOLOGY
https://spectrevision.net/2023/06/28/pyroaerobiology/