Long Island Fires Send Smoke and Flames into Sky

NEW YORK — Swiftly advancing brush fires swept across a significant area of land on Long Island, New York, on Saturday, as strong winds intensified the blazes, filling the sky with dense gray smoke and leading to the evacuation of a military base and the shutting down of a key highway.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced that state agencies were actively addressing the fires in and around the Pine Barrens, a forested region that serves as home to suburbs east of New York City.

In an official statement, Hochul revealed that the National Guard was providing aerial support with helicopters and coordinating efforts with local law enforcement.

“My foremost concern is public safety, and I am committed to ensuring the safety of Long Islanders by any means necessary,” she emphasized.

Footage shared across social media platforms depicted towering flames and thick columns of black smoke rising above roads.

Around the time these visuals were circulating, Southampton authorities issued a public advisory, cautioning against lighting any recreational fires due to the elevated risk of wildfires.

As a precautionary measure, police temporarily closed several miles of Sunrise Highway, a vital route leading to the East End of Long Island.