MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
Severe drought conditions are afflicting much of the U.S. In the West, the mountain fire north of Los Angeles has burned more than 20,000 acres and is still only one-third contained. And in the East, dry weather in New York and New Jersey has fueled a rash of wildfires, including in and around New York City. NPR's Brian Mann has this report.
BRIAN MANN, BYLINE: Monday afternoon, fire crews battling the Jennings Creek blaze on the New York-New Jersey border described dry, windy conditions as the worst in half a century for this region this time of year, when autumn rains normally ease fire pressure. The blaze spread through dry brush and forests, scorching more than 5,000 acres. New York state forest ranger Bryan Gallagher spoke during a public briefing yesterday, broadcast by CBS.
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BRYAN GALLAGHER: We just got to find a good place, in this very steep and hazardous terrain, to put a line that we can hold. That's our plan moving forward.
MANN: There was a smattering of rain late Sunday, but the blaze is still only 20% contained. The hills and forests roughly 40 miles northwest of Manhattan are dense and rocky, with few roads or hiking trails. According to Gallagher, the question today is whether the wind will be moderate enough to allow crews to attack the blaze with aircraft.
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GALLAGHER: Forecast right now is 20 mile an hour steady, with gusts of 30. Right now, that's just at the limit of when our helicopters can fly. Our hope is that it doesn't get any worse than that.
MANN: Officials say one crewman battling the Jennings Creek fire, 18-year-old Dariel Vasquez, was killed Saturday, struck by a falling tree. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement she's praying for Vasquez's family and fellow firefighters. Jesse Dwyer is town supervisor in Warwick, New York, one of the communities still threatened by the fire.
JESSE DWYER: This is one of the worst natural disasters the town of Warwick has seen in many, many years. And if things turn south, the threat to life and the threat to property could really take a turn for the worst.
MANN: Crews in New Jersey and New York have scrambled to contain other, smaller fires, including a two-acre blaze in Prospect Park in Brooklyn that was extinguished Friday night. New York City Mayor Eric Adams posted a video urging caution and restricting outdoor burning.
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ERIC ADAMS: Those who are dealing with respiratory issues, we're asking you, stay indoors or have an air filter. We're also asking New Yorkers to not barbecue outside at this time.
MANN: Smoke from wildfires has blanketed the region at times and stretched up the Hudson River. But officials say the air quality in much of New York and New Jersey has improved.
Brian Mann, NPR News, New York. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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