OAN Staff Abril Elfi
12:00 PM – Sunday, March 9, 2025
New York Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency following massive brush fires in Long Island.
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On Saturday, Houchul (D-N.Y.) declared a state of emergency for Suffolk County.
“We are deploying resources as quickly as possible, and I have mobilized our agencies, the National Guard and the State Police to provide air and ground support to ensure we keep our Long Islanders safe,” Hochul said in a statement.
“I’ve declared a state of emergency to secure resources immediately,” she continued. “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.”
The initial fire reportedly broke out around 1 p.m. in Center Moriches, Suffolk County, and quickly spread to East Moriches, Eastport, and Westhampton. The fires in Center Moriches, East Moriches, and Eastport have been extinguished, while the Westhampton fire is 50% contained.
The Louisiana National Guard is dropping water from four helicopters, and a C-130 aircraft is providing aerial monitoring, according to the governor’s office. Numerous governmental agencies are offering assistance, including the use of drones, traffic management, and staff.
The state’s Office of Emergency Management, Office of Fire Prevention and Control, Department of Transportation, Department of Environmental Conservation, State Parks and the New York State Police are among the agencies offering support.
Hochul also stated that 100,000 N95 masks will be sent to the impacted area on Sunday morning.
According to CBS News, Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine reported that one firefighter suffered burns to the face and was flown to the burn center at Stony Brook University Hospital, but officials said he was doing okay.
Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services Commissioner Rudy Sunderman stated that two commercial buildings have been damaged but residents are not currently in the line of fire.
The cause of the fire is currently unclear. However, officials said strong winds helped it to spread.
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