Firefighters continue battling blaze that left 18-year-old dead

Air quality alerts remained in effect Sunday in the New York City area as firefighters continued battling multiple wildfires in New York and New Jersey amid dry conditions.
As of Sunday morning, New York City’s Office of Emergency Management said the Air Quality Index (AQI) was at 105, which they said indicates being “unhealthy for sensitive groups.” The AQI in some monitors had reached 201 a day earlier, indicating “very unhealthy” air quality.
Red flag warnings remain active as of Sunday in New York City, Long Island and counties located north of the city and in eastern New Jersey due to the high risk of brushfire due to strong winds and extremely dry conditions.
The New York State Department of Health has recommended individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects.
One New York State Parks and Recreation Aid employee — identified as 18-year-old Dariel Vasquez — was killed Saturday while battling a forest fire in Sterling Forest in Greenwood Lake, New York, state police confirmed.
In a statement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she was “deeply saddened” by Vasquez’s death.
“My prayers go out to his family, friends and coworkers during this difficult time. I commend his dedication to serving and protecting his fellow New Yorkers, and his bravery on the front lines,” she said. “New York is battling multiple wildfires due to the dry conditions we are currently facing. Our State employees are working around the clock to protect our communities and we are keeping them close in our thoughts as they put their lives on the line to stop the spread of these wildfires.”
Last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a citywide drought watch as New York has seen the second-longest dry streak in city records dating back to 1869.
While there have been numerous ongoing brushfires in New Jersey, one also broke out in the middle of Brooklyn on Friday night.
Firefighters spent almost three hours trying to contain a fire that erupted in Prospect Park. By the time it was contained, the fire had engulfed two acres — roughly two football fields — of the park, according to the FDNY.
No one was reported hurt during the fire in Brooklyn, according to officials.
“This is the new normal of extreme weather. It’s not something that we’re expecting, but it’s something that we all need to be prepared for,” New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol told reporters during a news conference at the park on Friday night.
Hochul said she has deployed more resources to fight the fires raging in the state.
The Whitehouse Fire in Ulster and Sullivan counties was impacting approximately 300 to 400 acres and was expected to increase, she said.
“The safety of all New Yorkers is my top priority, and I urge everyone in impacted areas, especially those vulnerable, to stay alert, monitor air quality and take necessary precautions to stay safe,” the governor said in a statement.
Adams announced on Saturday a ban on grilling in city parks in the wake of the Brooklyn fire.
The mayor also said the city has had 120 brush fires in the past 10 days. Adams urged residents to conserve water, avoid setting off fireworks, and remove excessive leaves and brush from sidewalks.
“Getting through this drought will take all of us working together, and every drop counts, so let’s keep doing our part to save as much water as we can,” Adams said.
In New Jersey, forest firefighters are continuing to battle a wildfire in Passaic County that had already engulfed more than 175 acres as of Sunday morning, and which is now 75% contained.
“It really spread fast last night in the wind,” Pompton Lakes Mayor Mike Serra told reporters Saturday.
Chief Bill Donnelly, with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, told reporters Saturday afternoon that the fire was on private property owned by the chemical company DuPont.
“Not only is the fire burning up and above the ground, [but] it’s also burning beyond below the ground, gets into the root systems and things like that,” he said. “So being it’s so dry, we’re putting a lot of labor into putting these fires out. It takes a lot of water and things like that to penetrate the ground and get down to the source of the heat.”
Officials said there was air testing, which came back safe.
The dry conditions have led to fires in several locations throughout the East Coast, including Reading, Pennsylvania.