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Scorching over 600 acres of Suffolk County’s Pine Barrens, a series of brush fires erupted in March 2025, impacting areas like Manorville, East Moriches, Eastport and Westhampton.
The fire first ignited the morning of March 8, when residents north of the Sunrise Highway in Manorville used cardboard to start a fire for roasting marshmallows. Strong winds and dry conditions spread the embers, sparking multiple blazes that spread rapidly, which was only made worse by gusts reaching 35 mph. Firefighters battled the flames before finally containing the last of the fires two days later, leaving behind a charred landscape on eastern Long Island.
“I first heard about it through the news,” social studies teacher Mr. Rood said. “I was concerned about the potential loss of property and lives.”
Over the two days the fire blazed, it burned approximately 600 acres across Suffolk County. Over 90 fire departments and emergency medical service crews responded to the incidents. Two firefighters sustained injuries but were later released from the hospital.
“Moving forward, better forest management, stronger emergency response planning, and community awareness will be key to preventing something like this from happening again,” junior Ariana Muhammad said. “They can become more frequent and intense both on Long Island and across the country in states like California and the Carolinas.”
In response to the escalating situation, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for Suffolk County and issued a burn ban to prevent further incidents. The burn ban remained in effect until the annual statewide ban on residential brush burning commenced on March 16.
In the aftermath, local businesses initiated support efforts for the affected communities and first responders. The Long Island Wings it Forward program specifically was launched by dozens of restaurants to raise funds for firefighters who battled the blazes.
Even though Nassau County was not directly affected by the fires, the fires have been seen as a huge wake up call to the entirety of Long Island. The island hasn’t experienced a fire of this size since the August 1995 Sunrise Fire that destroyed about 4,500 acres of the Pine Barrens, instead of the comparatively minuscule 600 that were scorched in March.
These incidents underscore the importance of fire safety, particularly in fire-prone areas like the Pine Barrens, and highlight the need for preventive measures to manage such ecosystems effectively.
