A forest ranger died Saturday night battling a wildfire along the New York-New Jersey border as dangerous wildfires continue to cause air pollution across the tri-state region amid a historic drought. .
East Dutchess County Fire and Rescue Department responds to a 2,000-acre wildfire near the Greenwood Lake Turnpike along the Orange County border where a tree falls on a ranger, killing him. he wrote in a Facebook post.
“Orange County Emergency Services mourns the loss of a dedicated member of our team who passed away today while responding to the Greenwood Lake wildfire.” The agency made the announcement on Facebook.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the family, friends and colleagues of this brave man.”
The identity of the ranger has not been disclosed.
The ranger's tragic death comes as firefighters continue to battle serious wildfires across New Jersey and the Hudson Valley as dry and windy conditions in the region pose an extreme fire danger. It happened in
An air quality alert was issued for New York City, the Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey until 12:15 a.m. Monday as smoke continues to engulf the sky.
A red flag warning is in effect from the Garden State to the Big Apple and southern Connecticut until 6 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service said.
Firefighters across the tri-state responded to at least six wildfires Saturday. NBC reportedat least four more people attacked in central and western New Jersey from the Pinelands to the city's suburbs on Friday.
Mayor Eric Adams announced Saturday a ban on grills in all city parks following a 2-acre fire that broke out Friday night in a heavily wooded area of Brooklyn's Prospect Park.
“Effective immediately, we will ban grilling in parks and require all New Yorkers to take common-sense steps to prevent wildfires.” Adams said in a news release.
After the driest October on record, New York City was also placed under drought watch last week, with the Big Apple receiving less than 1 inch of precipitation, compared with the historical average of about 4 inches.
Drought watches are also in place in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, parts of the Garden State haven't had measurable rain in more than 40 days, so smoke is expected to be present until heavy rain arrives.
The National Weather Service said the region could see up to a quarter-inch of rain Sunday night, but that is unlikely to make the conditions less severe.
