A brush fire broke out in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park on Friday night amid a stretch of historically dry weather, officials said.
More than 100 firefighters responded to the two-acre blaze – which was snuffed out shortly before 10 p.m. – in the rolling meadow known as the Nethermead in the middle of the popular greenspace, according to the FDNY.
“We’re still working to extinguish it,” an FDNY spokesperson said, noting that first responders are still hosing down some hotspots.
“It’s a very labor intensive operation. It’s just this steep terrain, windy conditions. The fire can move rapidly.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Park-goer Pablo Aronson, 21, said he was shocked to see the emergency response to the fire after passing by on his bike.
“The smoke is pretty strong,” Aronson said.
“Everybody comes here, hangs out in the meadow over there. So it’s kind of sad to see the park like this.”
The FDNY received the first call about the blaze at about 6:40 p.m. The department deployed specialized brush fire units and drones to detect hot spots in the park.
No injuries were reported and no park buildings were damaged, fire officials said, with Mayor Eric Adams crediting an onlooker for swiftly reporting the fire.
“We were extremely lucky by the passerby who saw something but also did something,” Adams said Friday night, adding that officials are working to determine the cause of the blaze.
“They notified the FDNY and there was a quick response.”
Dramatic photos from the park show flames creating an ominous orange glow through the trees.
Smoke can also be seen rising overhead.
The city has experienced weeks of bone-dry conditions.
October saw the second longest rainless streak in the Big Apple’s recorded history, with only .81 inches of rain falling compared to an average of about 3.81 inches, officials have said.
Weather conditions on Friday were favorable for brush fires with strong winds and low humidity, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning for the five boroughs.
“Any fire that develops will catch and spread quickly,” the NWS alert read. “Outdoor burning is not recommended.”
The Red Flag Warning remains in effect for the city, along with Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley, until 6 p.m. Saturday.
In nearby New Jersey, at least four brush fires were burning across the state on Friday, including one along the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Englewood Cliffs.
That blaze, which is just across the Hudson River from Manhattan, reportedly sent smoke over parts of the city.
With Post wires
