'Critical Fire Weather Conditions' Warning Issued For Long Island

UPTON, NY — Despite some rain Sunday into Monday, dry conditions have continued, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a warning on Tuesday against critical fire weather conditions for parts of New York, including Long Island.

It remains in effect from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The warning includes New York City, as well as the lower Hudson Valley.

The eastern Long Island region has seen a spike in brush fires in recent weeks.

This past weekend, firefighters responded to a 14-alarm blaze that was moving quickly towards houses in Medford before it was doused by multiple fire departments. Another large fire also broke out in Baiting Hollow.

The largest fire along the New York region was sparked Saturday.

Known as the Jennings Creek Wildfire, it spread quickly along the New York and New Jersey border, growing to 2,500 acres in a day.

An 18-year-old forest ranger was killed in the efforts to knock the blaze down.

The warning means critical fire weather conditions are expected or occurring, and a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels will create a significantly elevated fire growth potential.

Winds will be coming from the northwest at 15 to 25 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph, and there is a relative humidity as low as 29 percent. Temperatures will run up to 56 degrees.

With these factors present, rapid fire could spread if ignition occurs.

For more information, visit http://weather.gov/nyc.