Lately, due to the ongoing drought, fires have been erupting all over New York City and state. Parks and forests are burning, and a lot of people are scared about what could happen next.
Blanca Lopez lives in northern New York. She says that the fires are making her nervous. “Living up here has felt less and less safe because when I look on the news, I see that counties close to me are being evacuated because of the fire. I’m scared that’s going to happen to me and my town,” she said.
Even people in the city aren’t safe from the fires. Vanessa Alvarado, 45, lives close to Inwood Hill Park, which had recently been on fire. “I was at my second job and I smelled smoke,” she said. “Then I asked my coworker about it, and he said that Prospect Park was on fire. I thought it wasn’t that bad until my daughter called me at work a few days later and told me that Inwood Hill Park was on fire now too. I got scared because I live less than two blocks from there.” The fires did make her conscious about the severity of the drought, so she went to the store that night and stocked up on water.
The fires were surprising for teenagers like Jayden Marte, 16, who lives in Inwood. “When I was walking home from school, I saw the f***ing park on fire. It was freaking insane. All these fire trucks were there and for a moment, I got scared. But honestly, I don’t think it could be that bad,” he said.
His younger sister, Navila Marte, 13, had a very different reaction. “We talked about the fire in school,” she said. “I didn’t think that things like this could happen in our neighborhood. Nothing ever really happens here.”
Up north, a lot of people share this feeling of helplessness and despair due to the ongoing fires. Felix Lopez Jr., a 51 year old man who occasionally works in the city but lives in northern New York, said, “When I drive home past certain areas, there’s nothing but the smell of smoke. Makes me sad. My poor mother and father live here. Last thing I want is for them to have to leave home. I’m scared it’s gonna happen.”
Experts say that the fires keep occurring because the drought dried out plants and soil, making it easier for them to catch on fire. People have been warned to follow evacuation rules and to avoid any actions that can cause new fires.
These fires have been a wake up call for many. “This is a reminder that we need to take climate change seriously,” Vanessa Alvarado said. “It’s not just happening in places far from us. It’s affecting our homes and our neighborhoods.”
The fires continue to burn, and New Yorkers are left waiting for rain so the fires can be stopped before things get any worse.
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