New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency after several wildfires scorched parts of Long Island.
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In a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Governor Hochul announced the declaration. “I am issuing a State of Emergency as Suffolk County fights brush fires in the Pine Barrens,” she wrote. “I have spoken to [Suffolk County Executive Edward Romaine] and offered any necessary State resources.”
She further stated, “We have [National Guard NY] helicopters providing air support, and multiple state agencies are on the ground.”
Romaine then shared details about the wildfires that were started on the famous New York island.
“Suffolk County FRES’s is coordinating the response to three major brush fires on the East End,” Romaine also explained. “We are working with the town of Southampton closely and multiple police agencies. The National Guard is also involved in water drops that began sometime ago. Sunrise Highway remains closed past exit 58.”
New York Governor Says the Wildfires Could Cause a ‘Multi-Day Event’
After declaring the state of emergency, New York Governor Kathy Hochul told CNN that the wildfires would cause a “multi-day event.”
Hochul further noted that the wildfires are burning in a nature preserve. “It would not take much for the fires to jump outside that area and head toward populated areas,” she explained.
“All those images of what happened in the Palisades are so front and center in our minds,” the New York governor then stated, referencing the wildfires that destroyed parts of Los Angeles and the surrounding areas earlier this year. “We need to be proactive, preventative and try to stop the worst from occurring with all the power that we have and that’s exactly what we’re doing.”
Fire crews have been battling the blazes. One firefighter was reportedly transported to a nearby hospital with second-degree burns on their face.
“Our biggest problem is this wind…it’s driving this fire,” Romaine also stated.
The wildfire is currently in Westhampton and is estimated to be approximately three miles by one mile. As of Saturday evening, it was about 70% contained.