Recently there has been a concerning spark of wildfires happening in NYC. On November 8 Prospect Park went ablaze due to a nearby brushfire. On that day Mayor Eric Adams posted on social media that the city was under a red flag warning for fire due to its strength and the strong wind accompanying it. Additionally on November 13 a wildfire broke out in the Inwood Hill Park and left a very dry stench in the city around it. Some people who live near Inwood Hill Park could smell the smoke from their homes.
Some New Yorkers may wonder why this issue has become a current concern. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, the state has been experiencing a water shortage due to insufficient rainfall, resulting in a drought.“Today, Mayor Eric Adams declared a statewide drought watch and elevated 15 counties to drought warning status due to a continued shortage of rainfall and declining levels of streamflow and groundwater.”(Source). As a result, dry vegetation and campfires have contributed to the spread of wildfires across the state. However, many people cite the primary cause as climate change, which has led to enhanced evaporation, which reduces surface water and dries out soils and vegetation.
These Wildfires have a drastic effect on the environment, especially in places in the North East of the U.S. that are not accustomed to them. According to NY.GOV “Governor Hochul Announces Full Containment of Jennings Creek Wildfire at Sterling Forest State Park” first responders from New York, New Jersey, and crews from both Montana and Colorado, as well as the Army national guard are working together to extinguish and prevent these fires from burning across New York State. Fire Fighters are praising the recent snow and rain all across the state that has aided in decreasing NY State temperature. However, New York is still implementing a burn ban, which limits the number of unsupervised and extreme flames outside and inside homes. But what we can do at home to help our State improve, is to stop littering and prevent man-made fires in parks. Another way we citizens can help is to reduce our carbon footprint and decrease the amount of greenhouse gases that are keeping New York State in a drought warning.
