FDNY battles rare Bronx brush fire amid NYC drought warning

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

The fire, which required over 100 firefighters to get under control, was fueled by high winds and dry conditions following a recent Red Flag warning issued by the National Weather Service.

"Because of the dry conditions, we've been seeing several fires even in this area," said FDNY Deputy Chief William McCormack. "We also had one in Upper Manhattan this morning."

Officials say the ongoing lack of rainfall could make the situation even worse.

"Look our reservoir levels, which are below two-thirds, when they should at this point in the year be at about or above 75%," said NYC Environmental Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala.

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

"Last time that we had a drought emergency was in 2001 to 2003," said New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zachary Iscol. "At that time, the city went into a watch in December. We were in a warning for January, February and March, and then we were in a drought emergency Stage 1 from April until the end of October."

As the dry weather continues, 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 cautious about discarding cigarettes to avoid any potential spark that could ignite dry foliage.