The brush fires that developed on Long Island on March 8 have been extinguished after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency to gather resources for suppressing the flames that had maintained momentum because of high winds.
Officials confirmed on Sunday that the fires had been knocked down, including the last remaining fire burning in the hamlet of Westhampton. Suffolk County Fire Coordinator Rudy Sunderman warned that forecast strong wind gusts of up to 30 mph meant the region remains vulnerable to additional fire outbreaks.
He said at a Sunday news conference that crews were working on containment lines around the fire to prevent further spread. Authorities said the fire had not grown since early Sunday.
Officials said on March 8 that three of four fires were fully contained, with the fire in Westhampton 50 percent contained. Two commercial buildings were partially burned but officials said homes were not in the line of fire.
Rough satellite data at the time indicated that fire and smoke stretched roughly 2 1/2 miles along Sunrise Highway, according to NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System.
One firefighter was flown to a hospital to be treated for burns to the face, and another was also injured.
“Our biggest problem is the wind,” Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said. “It is driving this fire.”
The cause of the fire remained under investigation. Suffolk County officials said that the police department’s arson squad had initiated an investigation into the blaze, though there was no immediate evidence to suggest arson.
Hochul said in a March 8 interview with CNN that wind speeds were expected to persist at about 40 miles per hour until the evening of March 9 and that “evacuations may be necessary.”
“I’ve declared a state of emergency to secure resources immediately. This is an evolving situation, and air quality is a concern—New Yorkers need to monitor the latest emergency alerts and prepare to evacuate if necessary.”
Suffolk County covers an area of nearly 2,400 square miles, and is located in the central and eastern part of Long Island in the southeast of New York state, with a population of about 1.5 million.
A major highway was closed and a military base was evacuated, while a chemical factory and an Amazon warehouse were at risk.
The governor’s office advised people to reduce potential smoke exposure by being aware of the air quality in places where they live and work. In order to maintain the quality of indoor air, it was recommended that windows remain closed and that air cleaners and filtration devices be deployed.
If going outside, people were recommended to wear N95 or KN95 masks to reduce smoke intake, with the recommendation especially applying to the young and the elderly, and those with asthma.
More than 30 fire companies along with four helicopters from the New York National Guard were engaged for the emergency response, according to the governor. A C-130 military aircraft provided aerial monitoring of the fires, supported by drones from other state agencies.
A state fire operations center was opened, and the state’s Fire Mobilization and Mutual Aid Plan was activated to support the firefighting efforts.
When asked about federal assistance regarding the fires in the interview, Hochul told CNN: “I’m not counting on the federal government for this; this is definitely driven by the state.
“If this spreads—and we normally would be applying for [Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)] reimbursements if a certain monetary threshold is hit—I don’t know that there’s going to be a FEMA by the time we would do any calculation of expenses if this got out of control any further.”
New York has been advertising for laid-off federal workers to apply for positions within the state as the Trump administration identifies ways to cut spending. FEMA was a particular target after the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) audit reported that the agency spent $59 million to house illegal immigrants at a New York City hotel.
