Inwood Hill Park in Manhattan has become the latest site for a wildfire amid the city’s ongoing drought, as FDNY members battled flames in the heavily forested area well into Wednesday afternoon.
Firefighters rushed to the 197-acre park on the northern tip of Manhattan to put out the blaze that started at around 2 p.m. on Nov. 13 after passersby noticed the flames and immediately called for help.
Winthrop Roosevelt, communications director for Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, was in the area after returning from a meeting around the time the fire erupted. As of 3:45 on Wednesday, the flames were still roaring, he said.
“There seems to be two different fires happening within the park, ” he said. “I was up in the area of the fire for a bit, but they pushed everyone back.”
FDNY on scene… pic.twitter.com/KTI6RbDNW2
— Mark D. Levine (@MarkLevineNYC) November 13, 2024
Roosevelt reported from the scene that the fires were on the park’s east and north sides under the Henry Hudson Parkway.
While the exact cause of the fire is still unknown, but sources close to the scene suspect the city’s ongoing dry spell is likely the cause or at least a contributing factor.
It is unclear right now if anyone, including firefighters, police, and civilians, was hurt.
The FDNY has responded to 229 brush fires since Oct. 29 amid the dry spell. According to FDNY officials, this is the highest number of brush fires in a two-week period in NYC history.
“Due to a significant lack of rainfall, the threat of fast-spreading brush fires fueled by dry vegetation and windy conditions pose a real threat to our members and our city,” FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said.
As of Wednesday afternoon, firefighters were still battling the blaze. The investigation remains ongoing.
The Inwood Hill Park fire follows a wildfire in Prospect Park on Friday that devasted a two-acre portion of the wooded Brooklyn area.
Earlier this month, Mayor Eric Adams issued a citywide drought watch, ordering city agencies to develop water conservation plans, and urged New Yorkers to conserve water.
