Dry conditions lead to two separate fires in a Manhattan park Wednesday within 15 minutes of each other.

The fires tore through about 3.5 acres of land in Inwood Hill Park, according to officials.


What You Need To Know

  • Dry conditions lead to two separate fires in a Manhattan park Wednesday within 15 minutes of each other

  • The fires tore through about 3.5 acres of land in Inwood Hill Park, according to officials

  • The cause of the fires remains under investigation, officials said

“Very, very dangerous operation. We actually had multiple trees that collapsed,” FDNY Chief of Operations Kevin Woods said.

Officials said the fire climbed the forest hills, making it tough terrain for firefighters to battle.

“We had water issues as well. Obviously, there aren’t fire hydrants in the middle of a forest. So we had to draft from the Harlem River,” Woods said.

According to officials, the fire was brought under control during the overnight hours, but FDNY personnel returned to the park in the vicinity of the Henry Hudson Bridge shortly before 4 a.m. as flames appeared to reignite.

The cause of the fires remains under investigation, officials said. Fire crews are expected to be on scene into the morning hours.

According to the city, there have been about 230 brush fires in a two-week period as the five boroughs continues to see historically dry conditions.

“As these dry conditions continue, we anticipate we will see more of these before rain comes,” FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker said.

The FDNY is urging all New Yorkers to remain diligent and to take precautions to prevent further fires from occurring.