Wind gusts and humidity are helping to fuel wildfires burning across the Northeast. A whopping 27 million people from New York to Massachusetts are under fire alerts Saturday afternoon.
Cities under fire alerts include New York City and Boston, where wind gusts up to 35 mph and relative humidity of around 25% to 30% is expected.
Vegetation in the area also remains very dry, with this region of the country about 6 to 8 inches behind on rainfall since Sept. 1. A cold front is expected to pass through the region Sunday, bringing up to 1 inch of rain.
A brush fire in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park burned overnight Friday into Saturday after about 2 acres of dry vegetation ignited during heavy wind gusts, the New York City Fire Department said on X. Firefighters worked overnight to extinguish the fire.
“This has been a historically dry time for New York City and more than 100 brush fires have occurred this month alone,” the FDNY said.
In Pennsylvania, firefighters are working to control a fire that erupted in Berks County due to dry and windy conditions. The fire started at around 11:30 p.m. Friday on Neversink Mountain in Reading, where smoke could be seen rising from the blaze.
The fire resulted in the evacuation of nearby residents to Amanda E. Stout Elementary School, according to Reading Mayor Eddie Morán.
“The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Forestry division will lead the firefighting and mop-up operation, which is expected to continue for several days, coordinating any additional resources required,” Morán said.
In Passaic County, New Jersey, the 100-acre Cannonball 3 Wildfire continues to burn with 0% containment, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Fifty-five structures are threatened by the fire, and its cause is under investigation.
Another 39-acre wildfire burning in Bergen County is 40% contained, according to the fire service.
Northern New Jersey is under a red flag warning until 6 p.m., meaning the area is experiencing critical fire weather that “can contribute to extreme fire behavior,” according to the National Weather Service.
The active wildfires are increasing concerns around air quality, especially in the New York City area.
On the West Coast, the Mountain Fire continues to burn in Ventura County, California, and has spread across more than 20,600 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). The fire was 17% contained as of 7:25 a.m. PT and its cause is under investigation.
Sunny and dry conditions are expected in the area Saturday, with wind gusts up to 20 mph. Air quality alerts are in effect throughout Southern California due to wildfire smoke.
Bryan Gallion contributed.
