Rapidly Spreading Brush Fires Force Evacuations and Highway Closure on Long Island

Brush fires moved swiftly across Long Island, New York, on Saturday, driven by powerful winds that resulted in thick grey smoke filling the sky. The spreading flames triggered immediate evacuations, leading to the shutdown of a major highway and necessitating evacuation procedures at a nearby military facility.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul swiftly announced a state of emergency to coordinate a fast and effective response to the fires. Hochul informed News 12, a local television station, that authorities were actively evacuating residents from the Westhampton region and warned that further evacuations might become necessary due to the rapid expansion of the blaze. The governor also specified several high-risk targets, including homes, a chemical factory, and a nearby Amazon warehouse.

Footage shared on social media vividly illustrated the severity of the fires, showing enormous flames and towering columns of black smoke rising high into the sky. In response to this growing threat, the town of Southampton issued timely official warnings advising people not to initiate recreational fires during these dangerous conditions.

Governor Hochul provided reassurance that public safety remains the highest priority and mentioned that the national guard has assisted local efforts using helicopters. Officials have refrained from publicly estimating the exact size of the fires, acknowledging only that the flames were rapidly intensifying.

Satellite imagery from NASA indicated the presence of fire and smoke covering approximately 2.5 miles along Sunrise Highway. As a critical route connecting the eastern part of Long Island, authorities swiftly moved to temporarily close off a section of this thoroughfare due to safety concerns. The Francis S Gabreski airport, situated close to the areas impacted by the flames, experienced precautionary evacuations of personnel around midday. The national guard launched helicopter missions from this airport to aid in containing the wildfires.