MORRISTOWN, N.J. − A firefighter tragically lost his life while fighting wildfires that spread from New Jersey into New York this past weekend, intensified by unprecedented drought conditions that are gripping the Northeast, exacerbating wildfires and putting lives at risk.

For several days, New York City has been shrouded in smoke from these wildfires, leading to an air quality warning for the city and surrounding areas in both New York State and New Jersey, effective through Monday. The flames have also affected areas in the city, with significant wildfires reported in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and the Bronx’s Highbridge Park over the weekend.

“It’s crucial for every New Yorker to recognize that we are experiencing extreme weather conditions. Climate change is a reality – it’s happening now,” stated Zach Iscol, New York City Emergency Management Commissioner, in an interview with News12. “Typically, when discussing climate change, floods and rising sea levels come to mind. However, it manifests in many different forms.”

According to AccuWeather, the Northeast has not experienced significant rainfall since late September. This prolonged dryness has heightened wildfire risks, dried up waterways, and left reservoirs perilously low.

In New Jersey, the West Milford wildfire has crossed into Orange County, New York, affecting 2,500 acres of wooded land with no containment reported as of Sunday, stated the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Roads are closed, and over two dozen homes, businesses, and other structures are at risk.

The agency expressed their sympathies to their colleagues at the NY State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department following the tragic line-of-duty death of one of their firefighters who was engaged in combating flames spanning both states. Orange County Emergency Services shared a message on social media confirming “the loss of a dedicated team member today.”

Last month recorded the second lowest rainfall for October in the lower 48 states, with the driest October occurring over 70 years ago. While some rain is predicted in the Northeast late Sunday into Monday, the severity and depth of the drought mean the rainfall will likely have little long-term effect. New fires continue to emerge as quickly as firefighters put out existing ones.

The New Jersey fire danger assessment, which evaluates wildfire risk across counties from low to extreme, has classified the entire state under extreme fire conditions. Both New Jersey and Delaware have just experienced their driest October on record, as reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

States like Massachusetts and Connecticut have also issued drought and fire warnings. The National Weather Service in Boston announced a Red Flag Warning for Sunday, indicating that any fires that ignite could spread rapidly due to the extremely dry conditions and strong southwest winds.

Connecticut has declared a drought advisory, noting that water supply issues could arise. Martin Heft, chair of the Connecticut Interagency Drought Workgroup, remarked that the state has experienced its driest two-month period since recordkeeping began in 1905.

“The significant lack of rainfall over the last two months has led to extremely dry conditions in Connecticut, resulting in numerous wildfires and decreased groundwater levels and streamflows,” said Gov. Ned Lamont. “We want to urge everyone to be aware of their water usage and to adopt sensible practices to conserve water.”