Long Island forecast: Some rain, finally, amid heightened worries over brush fires, air quality 

After weeks of dry conditions and a windy start to the weekend that fueled brush fires and air quality concerns, some much-needed rain is on the way for Long Island.

Rainfall will move into the area Sunday night, with between a quarter and half inch predicted, according to the National Weather Service.

The precipitation will be a welcome sight after the U.S. Drought Monitor recently deemed Long Island to be in a “moderate” drought.

"It may be our first wet, measurable rain that we see here, more than just a very little bit in the last couple months," NWS meteorologist David Stark said.

October was the driest on record for the region since 1963 with just 0.12 inches of rainfall, Newsday previously reported.

Weeks without rain have dried out vegetation, creating ripe kindling. Low humidity and wind gusts of up to 30 mph prompted the NWS to extend a red flag warning through Saturday evening. Red flag warnings mean "critical fire weather" conditions are expected, according to the weather service.

On Saturday, Gov. Kathy Hochul's office, in a news release outlining efforts to fight wildfires statewide, stated that "New Yorkers should continue to monitor ... air quality in surrounding impacted areas."

Brush fires in New Jersey and Brooklyn's Prospect Park sent smoke over New York City. The state Department of Environmental Conservation issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for New York City and the lower Hudson Valley on both Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to midnight. 

According to the National Weather Service, which posted the alert on its website, "When pollution levels are elevated, the New York State Department of Health recommends that individuals consider limiting strenuous outdoor physical activity to reduce the risk of adverse health effects."

In Riverhead, a 20-acre brush fire raged for much of Saturday morning before it was contained shortly after 10 a.m., the Riverhead Town Police Department confirmed.

That fire department was joined by 17 other fire departments to fight the fire in the wooded area to the east side of 3000 Sound Ave., police said. Riverhead police responded to the fire around 12:30 a.m. Seven EMS agencies and three law enforcement agencies also responded.

A Ridge Fire Department firefighter was transported to a hospital for smoke inhalation, Riverhead Police Lt. Jonathan Devereaux said. No buildings or dwellings were affected, Devereaux said.

The fire scene was turned over to the New York State Fire Ranger's Office for further investigation, police said.

Saturday night Riverhead Fire Department officials said that at 7:40 p.m. they received a call that the fire had reignited. According to the officials the fire was placed under control again by 8:20 p.m. They said firefighters continued to soak the area down.

The Suffolk County Parks Department said Saturday it has banned campfires at county campgrounds through the weekend due to the dry weather.

Winds were expected to die down Saturday evening, Stark said.

Since the red flag warning went into effect Friday at 8 a.m., there have been several more fires on Long Island, including in Yaphank and the Glenwood-Glen Head area, according to Michael Uttaro, Nassau County's fire coordinator. He added that there also was a fire at the Massapequa Preserve on Thursday, at Hempstead's Lake State Park on Nov. 2, and in the Oceanside-Island Park area last Sunday.

Uttaro is hopeful the precipitation in Sunday's forecast will help. In the meantime, residents can take precautions.

"We have encouraged people not to open burn, or use fire pits, especially when things become unattended," Uttaro said.

Hochul has deployed agencies to respond to wildfires across the state, including assigning personnel from the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to watch fires in Wildwood, Brookhaven and Hallock State Parks, all on Long Island, due to wildfires nearby, according to the release from her office.

In addition, staffers from the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services were in Ulster County, and Park Forest Rangers were coordinating with DEC Forest Rangers to coordinate a response to a fire on the Sullivan-Ulster county border. 

On Long Island, a freeze warning is also in effect from 10 p.m. Saturday until 9 a.m. Sunday as temperatures are expected to dip as low as 29 degrees, the NWS said.

"It's more for the agricultural side. This is not the type of freeze that you have to protect any pipes," Stark said. "If you have any sensitive plants outside that a freeze could potentially kill them, those obviously need to be protected."  

On Sunday, there will be areas of frost before 8 a.m. and partly sunny skies with a high near 59 degrees through the afternoon, the weather service said. The low will be around 52.

Showers could continue Monday, Veterans Day, until 1 p.m. Monday afternoon will be sunny with a high of 68 degrees, according to the weather service.

With Janon Fisher