FDNY educates Bronx residents about preventing brushfires, drought warning
Officials are asking New Yorkers to keep safety tips in mind, like disposing cigarette butts and matches properly, avoid outdoor grilling and bonfires and conserve water in your home.
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The FDNY responded to Van Cortlandt Park on Tuesday, but not to put out a brushfire. It was to educate Bronx residents about preventing them and the lives at risk.
“The brushfires spread rapidly,” said firefighter Nicole Rizzi. “So that being said, it’s treacherous for our firefighters to have to get through the fire, to go through these parks, the terrain and everything like that. It’s hard on them.”
Officials are asking New Yorkers to keep safety tips in mind, like disposing cigarette butts and matches properly, avoid outdoor grilling and bonfires and conserve water in your home.
This comes as Mayor Eric Adams issued a drought warning.
“First drought warning we’ve had in 22 years,” said Adams on Tuesday. “Who would’ve thought we would be praying for rain here in November?”
The mayor said there has been more than 300 brushfires across the five boroughs in recent weeks.
The Van Cortlandt Park Alliance said there have been at least 20 brushfires at the Bronx park since Nov. 2.
“[The brush fires have] been a range of very, very small steaming piles to things that are a little bit more alarming,” said Stephanie Ehrlich, Van Cortlandt Park administrator. “It is a few acres that have been damaged.”
Bronx residents said the FDNY roadside education serves as a wakeup call.
“It’s scary!” said Lucia Alcantara, of Riverdale. “I mean, the whole neighborhood could go up on fire. It’s not California. It really is the Bronx.”
