Overview

• Suffolk County police confirmed that a backyard fire intended for making s'mores accidentally ignited brush fires across Long Island's Pine Barrens region.
• Strong winds carried embers from the initial fire, sparking four separate blazes that burned 600 acres and damaged at least two commercial structures.
• New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and expanded a burn ban to include Long Island, New York City, and parts of the Hudson Valley.
• Two firefighters sustained injuries while battling the fires, with one airlifted to a hospital for second-degree burns and another treated for a head injury.
• The fires, now fully contained, prompted the deployment of over 600 firefighters from 80 departments, with officials warning of continued wildfire risks due to dry conditions and high winds.