NEW YORK (AP) — Quick-moving brush fires burned through a large swath of land on New York’s Long Island on Saturday, fanned by high winds that spewed thick gray smoke into the sky and prompted the evacuation of a military base and the closure of a major highway.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said state agencies were responding to the fires around the Pine Barrens, a wooded area that is home to commuter towns east of New York City.
In a statement, Hochul said the National Guard was providing support by helicopter and working with local law enforcement.
“Public safety is my top priority, and I’m committed to doing everything possible to keep Long Islanders safe,” she said.
Videos posted to social media showed flames shooting into the air and columns of black smoke rising above roads.
The Town of Southampton issued a warning in the afternoon against starting recreational fires due to wildfire risk, around the time that the videos began appearing.
The extent of the fires was not immediately disclosed by local officials.
Rough satellite data indicated that fire and smoke stretched roughly 2.5 miles (3 kilometers) along Sunrise Highway, according to NASA’s Fire Information for Resource Management System.
Police closed a section of the highway, which is a thoroughfare to the East End of Long Island.
The fires raged near the Francis S. Gabreski Airport, from which the National Guard launched at least one helicopter. Personnel at the base evacuated as a precautionary measure starting around 1:45 p.m., spokesman Cheran Cambell said in a statement.