Drought sparks record 229 NYC brush fires in two weeks, FDNY says

NEW YORK — New York City’s ongoing drought has sparked a record 229 brush fires in just the last two weeks, FDNY officials said Wednesday.

The number of brush fires this year was significantly higher than in previous years, FDNY officials said, noting that, over the last three years, firefighters usually battle about 200 brush fires every October in the entire month. This year the city has seen more brush fires in half the time.

“Due to a significant lack of rainfall, the threat of fast-spreading brush fires fueled by dry vegetation and windy conditions pose a real threat to our members and our city,” FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said Wednesday, imploring New Yorkers to take steps to reduce the chances of brush fires.

Nearly a third of these brush fires — about 67 — have occurred in the Bronx, Tucker said.

The number includes a brush fire sparked by an Amtrak transformer near a Con Ed substation on the railroad’s Hell Gate Line Tuesday afternoon, suspending Amtrak travel in both directions along the Northeast Corridor between Penn Station and New Haven.

Three cars were burned in the blaze but no injuries were reported, FDNY officials said.

Queens had the second largest number of brush fires in the last two weeks with 58, and Brooklyn was third with 51 blazes fueled by dry conditions and high winds, FDNY officials said.

Brooklyn saw two brush fires in as many days in Prospect Park this past weekend. On Saturday, a fire scorched a 2-acre wooded area as more than 100 firefighters, including special brush fire units, fought the fire for nearly three hours.

Manhattan saw an estimated 24 brush fires over the last two weeks, the FDNY said. Staten Island had the least amount of fires with 17.

Smokers should make sure they properly dispose of their cigarette butts instead of simply flicking them away, and construction crews who do “hot construction activities” such as welding shouldn’t do their work near dry grass or leaves, FDNY officials said. “We need the public to remain vigilant,” Tucker said.

Over the weekend, Mayor Eric Adams banned grilling in city parks to prevent possible brush fires as the drought continues.

Anyone wishing to learn more about preventing brush fires can log onto FDNYsmart.org.

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