A forest ranger died battling a brush hearth alongside the New York-New Jersey border Saturday night time – as harmful wildfires continued to trigger dangerous air high quality throughout the tri-state area amid a historic drought.
Firefighters responded to a 2,000-acre forest hearth close to the Greenwood Lake Turnpike alongside state strains in Orange County when a tree fell on the ranger, killing him, Jap Dutchess County Hearth and Rescue wrote in a Fb put up.
“Orange County Emergency Providers needs to increase our condolences as we mourn the passing of a devoted service member we misplaced right this moment in the course of the Greenwood Lake brush hearth response,” the company mentioned on Fb.
“Our ideas and prayers are with the household, associates, and colleagues of this courageous particular person.”
The id of the ranger wasn’t revealed.
The ranger’s tragic demise come as firefighters proceed to battle extreme brush fires throughout New Jersey and the Hudson Valley because the area’s bone-dry and gusty wind situations trigger an excessive hearth danger.
An air high quality alert was triggered for New York Metropolis and the Hudson Valley, together with northern New Jersey by means of 12:15 a.m. Monday, as smoke continues to eat the skies.
Crimson flag warnings stay in impact from the Backyard State to the Huge Apple and southern Connecticut till 6 p.m. Sunday, in keeping with the Nationwide Climate Service.
Firefighters throughout the tri-state responded to at the least six wildfires Saturday, NBC reported, with at the least 4 extra breaking out Friday from the Pinelands within the central and western components of New Jersey to the Metropolis’s suburbs.
Mayor Eric Adams introduced Saturday a ban on grilling in all metropolis parks following a two-acre inferno that broke out Friday night time in a densely wooded space of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
“Efficient instantly, we’re prohibiting grilling in our parks, and we’d like all New Yorkers to take commonsense steps to forestall brush fires,” Adams mentioned in a information launch.
New York Metropolis was additionally positioned underneath drought watch final week, after the driest October in recorded historical past, with lower than an inch of rain within the Huge Apple, in comparison with the historic common of about 4 inches.
Drought watches are additionally in place for New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Smoke is anticipated to stay current till vital rain falls as components of the Backyard State haven’t had measurable rain in additional than 40 days, in keeping with the New Jersey Division of Environmental Safety.
The Nationwide Climate Service mentioned the area might see as much as 1 / 4 inch of rainfall Sunday night time – although it’s unlikely to ease the fiery situations.
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