New York City has struggled with fires in its parks and open spaces in 2024, a record-breaking dry year for the Big Apple, including more than 200 such blazes over a recent two week period.
As USA Today reports, residents who fled more than 160 homes along the New York-New Jersey border over the weekend due to a breech of the containment line for the Jennings Creek fire, were hoping to return Monday after authorities said they gained the upper hand on a wildfire burning for more than a week.
The New York State Park Police said the fire had burned almost 8 square miles but was 88% contained late Sunday. Winds died down, allowing firefighters to conduct “burnout operations” and protect all homes in the area. In Warwick, New York, Supervisor Jesse Dwyer said the voluntary evacuations there helped firefighters in the “unprecedented challenge” to regain control of the blaze.
In light of these recent events, on Sunday, city fire Commissioner Robert Tucker announced the creation of the department’s first Brush Fire Task Force, composed of fire marshals, fire inspectors and tactical drone units in response to the historic increase in brush fires occurring throughout the five boroughs.
“Due to a significant lack of rainfall, the threat of fast-spreading brush fires fueled by dry vegetation and windy conditions have resulted in an historic increase of brush fires throughout New York City,” FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said in a statement.
As the Gothamist reports, between Nov. 1 and Nov. 14, the FDNY responded to 271 brush fires citywide — a record for a two-week period, officials said. This is a sharp increase compared to the 200 brush fires the city has typically seen for the entire month of October over the past three years.
“By creating this task force, we are taking real action to prevent brush fires from occurring, putting protocols in place to keep our members safe while they are in the field, and working to identify the causes of these fires after they happen to keep New Yorkers safe in the future,” Tucker said.
The task force’s efforts are divided into pre-fire, active fire and post-fire phases. In advance of fires, members will use drones to survey at-risk areas and gather data on wind patterns and topography for planning. During fires, drones will provide firefighters with real-time information to map fire spread and identify hot spots. Afterward, the task force will investigate burn areas to determine the cause and origin, and evaluate damage using aerial imagery.
The FDNY emphasized fire safety tips, urging residents to avoid outdoor burning, properly dispose of cigarettes and clear brush and debris near homes.
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