Wildfires in New Jersey, New York, claimed the lives of rescuers

NEW YORK – Residents across New York City awoke to a thin brown haze, the smell of smoke on Saturday and deteriorating air quality as a wildfire raged nearby, resulting in at least one fatality.

There are several indicators of air quality degraded to “unhealthy for sensitive groups” around Manhattan and Brooklyn, according to AirNow, with several sites measuring smoke and pollution levels that have risen to “unhealthy” levels for all humans.

---

Video from LaGuardia Airport showed a layer of brown haze hovering over the Manhattan skyline, and several residents told FOX Weather that their homes or apartments “smelled like a fire” Saturday morning.

A clear and calm night allowed the morning temperature near the surface to drop to 40 degrees New York. A warmer layer of air hung directly above the ground, creating a temperature inversion.

Meanwhile, a small breath of wind has blown in from the north/northwest where the wildfires are burning in the north New Jersey. One fire is burning near the New York-New Jersey state line and appears to be a large source of smoke, according to the FOX Forecast Center. The Jennings Creek wildfire has burned at least 2,000 acres and threatened about a dozen structures, according to the latest reports.

The mayor of West Milford Township, New Jersey, said one death was related to the fire, and the victim was reportedly a New York City firefighter.

Details about the fatality have not been released, but fire crews are expected to release more details about the fire on Sunday.

Other nearby fires include several acres of brush burning on the Englewood Rocks in northern New Jersey.

Air quality warnings remain in place through the day into Saturday evening as more smoke could enter the city.

Meanwhile, wildfires and smoke remain a threat through the weekend northeast withstands one of the driest areas in history. Millions from the Jersey Shore to Boston were under a fire warning due to the increased risk of wildfire-friendly weather conditions.

---

Firefighters battled at least a dozen blazes in the tri-state area Friday, also sending plumes of smoke into parts of New York at times.

Dozens of firefighters were involved in one of these fires from the New York City Fire Department to Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

IN NEW YORK, DURING ONE OF THE STRONGEST DRUGS IN RECENT MEMORY, A FIRE BREAK OUT IN A BROOKLYN VILLAGE

“New Yorkers come together in times of crisis, and right now, during the worst drought in recent memory, we need New Yorkers to do just that and conserve as much water as possible,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. in a recent statement. .

Good news is in the forecast until the end of the weekend. The front will bring the region its first heavy rain in weeks late Sunday into Monday, improving air quality and wildfire conditions.