Fire in Prospect Park.
Around 6:30 pm on Friday a stroller in Prospect Park reported a fire which had broke out by the Nethermead area. A dry spell has had its grip on New York and the wider North East, making conditions perfect for a fire.
FDNY rushed to the scene.
FDNY promptly arrived to the scene of the fire in Prospect Park after receiving the call. The fire spread in the area of Nethermead, which is a rolling, hilly meadow and engulfed approximately two acres. It wasn’t that big when the stroller reported it, but the dry, windy conditions encouraged rapid growth. By the time FDNY arrived the fire was roaring and more than 100 firefighters were required to snuff it out. FDNY were stationed at the scene all night, preventing further damage.
A second fire erupted near the LeFrak Center at Lakeside ice skating rink around 2:40 pm on Saturday. The FDNY has since deployed a fire watch to monitor the grounds of Prospect Park.
What caused the fire in Prospect Park?
As mentioned before, in Brooklyn and the North East, as well as other parts of America, there is currently an unprecedented drought taking place. Most of New York isn’t effected, but New York City, as well as areas within 100 miles upstate, are. According to CNYWeather.com, the average rainfall is approximately four inches for September and five inches for October. New York City only received total rainfalls of 2.17 and 3.11 inches for those months in 2024. Subsequently, New York City has been under a drought advisory.
Law enforcement sources stated that vagrants formed an encampment in a remote part of the Nethermead woods. Max Shamash, an artist from Fort Greene saw the burn site and reported seeing a lot of trash. Shamash said “There’s hundreds of beer cans, suitcases, baby carriages, AC units – it’s like a junkyard that burned” also noting a “bunch of spray-paint bottles that exploded.”
There is mounting evidence that human error might have had an impact, but fire officials said Sunday they do not have an official cause of the fire yet. Mayor Eric Adams commended the park stroller and the FDNY for their swift action.
Brooklyn’s oldest, surviving forest.
The woods of the Nethermead meadow makes up some of the oldest forest in Brooklyn and New York City. It is Brooklyn’s last remaining forest in fact and provides an irreplaceable habitat for the wildlife within it. It is of utmost importance that we protect this fragile ecosystem.
Obviously park-goers should not be walking off of the paths, which is why they are fenced off. City officials are urging to hold off on barbecues while New York City is under a drought advisory. It’s also crucial for smokers to properly dispose of their cigarettes since the smallest ember could spark another fire.
As always I, and the team at Brooklynites, thank you for reading. Click back soon. <3
Read our article on the closing of the Rubin Museum next:
https://brooklynites.nyc/letting-go-of-the-rubin/
Read about how the Brooklyn Bridge made New York City:
https://brooklynites.nyc/the-brooklyn-bridge-made-new-york-city/
Read Biting Remarks:
https://brooklynites.nyc/biting-remarks/
Read about Brooklyn’s last remaining forest which was burned by the fire in Prospect Park:
https://www.prospectpark.org/brooklyns-last-remaining-forest/
Check out CNY Weather’s monthly rainfall chart:
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