FDNY tackling brush fire in Prospect Park with NYC under drought conditions
The New York City Fire Department was responding to a brush fire in Prospect Park in Brooklyn on Friday night as the city continued to face drought conditions officials have been warning about since earlier this month.
A spokesperson for the FDNY said the fire broke out near the Nethermead meadow at the heart of the park shortly before 7 p.m. He said 60 fire and emergency medical workers were on the scene and actively working to extinguish the fire.
No injuries were immediately reported, though local residents said on social media that they could smell smoke in the area.
The blaze was categorized as a two-alarm fire as of 8:10 p.m., officials said . They added that they were using drones and specialized brush fire units to get it under control, and urged nearby residents to close their windows to ward off smoke.
Firefighters were still working to put out the fire shortly before 9 p.m. The FDNY spokesperson said it was likely to be a "prolonged operation" due to the terrain and conditions in the park.
The city and its suburbs are currently under a red-flag warning for fire risk until 6 p.m. on Saturday due to sustained winds of 15 to 20 mph and gusts of up to 35 mph, according to the National Weather Service .
Wildfires in Northern New Jersey sent smoke into parts of Upper Manhattan and the Bronx overnight Thursday into Friday.
Mayor Eric Adams last weekend declared a drought watch for the city, calling on residents to conserve water and directing government agencies to update their conservation plans after weeks of barely any rain and a historically dry October .
"We urge all New Yorkers to stay vigilant and call 911 if they see a fire," Adams said on Friday in a statement on the Prospect Park blaze. "Any fire that sparks will catch and spread quickly in these conditions."
