minsta

FDNY battles rare brush fire in Bronx amid NYC drought warning

Pabio November 5, 2024

Bushfire in Bronx’s Van Cortlandt Park

A rare brush fire in Van Cortlandt Park sent smoke across the Bronx on Monday, as New York faces increased fire risks due to drought conditions. FOX 5’s Duarte Geraldino has the story.

NEW YORK – In a rare sight in New York, a brush fire at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx on Monday sent smoke into the sky, visible for miles.

The fire, which required more than 100 firefighters to bring under control, was fueled by high winds and dry conditions following a recent red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service.

“Due to the dry conditions, we have seen several fires even in this area,” said FDNY Deputy Chief William McCormack. “We also had one in Upper Manhattan this morning.”

Mayor Adams Declares Citywide Drought Watch, Urges NYC to Conserve Water Amid Historic Drought

In response to a historic lack of precipitation, New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala launched a drought watch in city scale. FOX 5’s Duarte Geraldino has the story.

Authorities say the continued lack of precipitation could make the situation worse.

“Look at our reservoir levels, which are less than two-thirds, when at this point in the year they should be about 75% or more,” said New York Environmental Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala.

Weather models suggest that the months of November to January could be much drier than usual, which is why the city is currently under a drought warning.

“The last time we had a drought emergency was between 2001 and 2003,” said Zachary Iscol, New York City’s emergency management commissioner. “At that time, the city was put on a drought watch in December. We were on warning for January, February and March, then we were on level 1 drought emergency from April to the end of October.”

As dry weather persists, officials are urging residents to conserve water and take steps to prevent fires. They recommend turning off faucets when not in use, taking shorter showers and being careful when disposing of cigarettes to avoid any potential sparks that could ignite dry foliage.