Weekend brush fires fully extinguished; backyard camp fire suspected cause

More than 80 Long Island fire departments, including from Riverhead, Greenport, Orient, Shelter Island and Cutchogue, responded to last weekend’s massive brush fires, which blazed through the pine barrens between Center Moriches and Westhampton Beach Saturday afternoon. Strong winds and damage from the southern pine beetle contributed to the speed and extent of the spread, officials said.

Sunrise Highway from William Floyd Parkway east to Exit 62 in Westhampton was closed to traffic for most of the day Saturday as multiple area fire departments battled the blaze, according to an alert from the Southampton Town Police Department. Speonk Riverhead Road and Old Riverhead were also closed.

The last of the estimated five fires was deemed 80% contained by county fire officials early Sunday morning, but first responders continued to monitor the area and mitigate potential hot spots. The largest of the fires, which was officially designated as the Westhampton Pines Fire, was declared “fully contained and extinguished,” as of 6 p.m. on Monday, March 10 by Westhampton Beach fire chief Lawrence Saccente.

One firefighter suffered facial burns and was transported to Stony Brook Hospital for treatment, officials reported. A second was also hospitalized with undisclosed injuries. Both were released as of early Tuesday.

According to a report from the Suffolk County Police, residents of a home in Manorville attempted to start an outdoor fire to make s’mores at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 8, but were unable to get it lit due to the wind. They then put cardboard on the smoldering wood in an attempt to get it to ignite, which was initially unsuccessful.

At approximately 10:15 a.m., 911 was called as the fire had spread to the backyard. Center Moriches Fire Department responded and extinguished the flames, but detectives believe the embers had already spread, driven by the sustained, 25 mph winds.

At 12:57 p.m., a fire was reported on the south side of Sunrise Highway, approximately 1/8 of a mile from the original location. Within a short time, additional fires were reported on Chapman Boulevard and Route 111. All of the brushfires are believed to have been sparked by the initial blaze in Manorville. 

Large plumes of smoke were visible from Wading River east to Westhampton Beach and could be spotted across the North Fork and even from parts of coastal Connecticut. Officials urged travelers to avoid these areas and be aware of potential additional road closures, “due to the ever changing situation.”

Multiple homes were evacuated near Gabreski Airport Saturday afternoon, according to a press release from the 106th Rescue Wing Fire Department, which also responded to the blaze. “We are actively working with local fire departments to contain the fire and ensure everyone remains out of harm’s way,” 106th commander Col. Jeffrey Cannet said in the statement.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Suffolk County as the fires continued to rage into Saturday evening. More than 80 fire companies were involved with fighting the flames, and the New York National Guard deployed four helicopters to perform water drops while a C-130 provided aerial monitoring, according to a statement from the governor’s office.

“We are deploying resources as quickly as possible, and I have mobilized our agencies, the National Guard and the State Police to provide air and ground support to ensure we keep our Long Islanders safe,” Gov. Hochul said in the Saturday afternoon press release. “I’ve declared a state of emergency to secure resources immediately.”

According to the New York division of Forest Rangers, 95% of wildfires in the state are caused by human activity. Since 2009, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation has enforced an annual brush burning ban from March 16 through May 14 to prevent wildfires and protect communities during heightened fire conditions. Violators of the state’s open burning regulation are subject to criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense.

Gov. Hochul imposed an immediate burn ban for Long Island, New York City, and parts of the Hudson Valley, to last until the annual statewide ban takes effect on March 16.

“Once again, the Westhampton Beach Fire Department would like to thank all of those agencies, organizations and community members who assisted and/or supported us in bringing this incident under control,” the department said in a Monday evening press release. “We are grateful to them all.”