Rekubit-'Climate change is real': New York parks employee killed as historic drought fuels blazes

MORRISTOWN,Rekubit N.J. − A parks employee was killed battling blazes that stretched from New Jersey into New York over the weekend as historic drought conditions intensified a stranglehold across the Northeast, fueling wildfires and threatening lives and homes.

New York City has been enveloped in hazy skies from wildfires for days, and an air quality alert was issued for the city and nearby areas of New York state and New Jersey into Monday. The city has not been immune to the wildfires, either — multiple acres burned across Prospect Park in Brooklyn and Highbridge Park in the Bronx over the weekend.

"Every New Yorker needs to understand that we now live in a time of extreme weather. Climate change is real – it’s here," New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Zach Iscol told News12. "Generally, when you think about climate change, you think of floods, you think about rising sea levels. But the fact is, it manifests itself in a lot of different ways."

The Northeast hasn't seen a "thorough soaking" since late September, according to AccuWeather. The dry conditions have increased the risk of wildfires, dried up streams, and brought reservoirs to dangerously low levels, AccuWeather warned.

In New Jersey, the West Milford wildfire crossed into Orange County, New York, spreading to 2,500 acres of wooded properties with 0% containment, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Sunday. Roads were closed and more than two dozen homes, businesses, and other structures were imperiled.

Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn'siconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought

'Tragic line-of-duty loss of one of their team members'

New York State Police said state parks employee Dariel Vasquez, 18, was killed Saturday as he helped battle the fire. Officials said a tree fell on Vasquez while he was clearing trees and brush.

The New Jersey wildfire agency extended "condolences to our counterparts at the NY State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department following the tragic line-of-duty loss of one of their team members." Orange County Emergency Services posted a note on social media confirming "the passing of a dedicated service member we lost today."

Last month was the second driest October, on record, for the lower 48 states combined. The only time October was drier was more than 70 years ago.

Parts of the Northeast could get some rain late Sunday into Monday, but the drought is so deep and severe the rains will have minimal long-term impact. As quickly as firefighters have doused the flames across the region, more fires have sprung up.

The New Jersey fire danger dashboard, which ranks fire risk in each county from low to extreme, showed the entire state under extreme conditions. New Jersey and Delaware are coming off their driest Octobers on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Drought, fire warnings declared in the Northeast

Massachusetts and Connecticut are among other states where drought and fire warnings have been issued. The National Weather Service in Boston warned that a Red Flag Warning was in place Sunday. Fires that start will spread quickly given extremely dry conditions and gusty southwest winds, the warning said.

Connecticut declared a drought advisory and warned that water supplies could become a problem. Martin Heft, chairman of the Connecticut Interagency Drought Workgroup, said his state has had the driest two-month period since recordkeeping began in 1905.

“The lack of rain over the past two months has caused exceptionally dry conditions across Connecticut, resulting in numerous wildfires and reduced groundwater levels and streamflows,” Gov. Ned Lamont said. “We want to encourage everyone right now to be mindful of their water consumption and take some simple, sensible steps to stretch water supplies.”

Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas

(This story was updated to add new information.)