The brush fires that we have seen in New York City’s Prospect Park, Riverhead, Long Island and New Jersey, have not only caught the attention of residents due to their immediate danger but also because of the unusual atmospheric phenomenon they’ve created: a spectacular red dawn. Although small when compared to wildfires that occur on the West Coast and in states more vulnerable to large-scale conflagrations, the fires have been serious enough to have affected air quality across the region. On Saturday, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued an air quality advisory warning of unhealthy levels of particulate matter for sensitive groups.
New York City has been under a drought watch after experiencing the driest October on record. The lack of rainfall has left vegetation dry and highly flammable, leading to red flag warnings being issued across the East Coast.
Climate change has meant more atmospheric crises such as more severe hurricanes, floods and yes, more wildfires. In this case it has brought one of the most spectacular sunrises in memory.
