A brushfire broke out in Manhattan’s Inwood Hill Park on Wednesday afternoon — sending plumes of smoke billowing over the city.
The blaze began at around 3 p.m. and spread rapidly across the brush, with the smoke reaching as far as three-miles south to the George Washington Bridge, officials said.
Officials said the blaze was now a two-alarm fire, with the FDNY mobilizing multiple units, “including drones, Marine Units, and Brush Fire Units.”
There are currently 45 FDNY personnel at the scene, with the cause of the fire still under investigation, officials said.
The fire department called on residents in the area to close their windows and avoid the area as firefighters work to extinguish the fire.
The National Weather Service issued a “Red Flag Warning” for New York City about the increased risk of brushfires due to strong winds and dry conditions.
A massive brushfire spanning northern New Jersey and New York broke out earlier this week, torching more than 7,000 acres along Greenwood Lake’s eastern edge, according to News 12 New Jersey. That blaze, known as the Jennings Creek fire, is only 30% contained.
Between Oct. 29 and Nov. 12, the FDNY has responded to 229 brushfires across the five boroughs, the highest amount in any two-week period in the city’s history.
Manhattan reported 24 brushfires in that period, with 67 in the Bronx, 56 in Queens, 51 in Brooklyn, and 17 in Staten Island.
“Remarkably dry conditions in October and so far in November have resulted in a historic amount of brush fires over the last two weeks and we need the public to remain vigilant,” said FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker.