Manorville firefighters battled their second brush fire today south of the former Grumman property.
The fire this afternoon was reported off River Road just before 4:30. Like this morning’s fire, strong, gusty winds spread the flames rapidly through the dry grass and underbrush.
Riverhead Fire Department was again called in on mutual aid to the neighboring fire district.
About two acres burned this afternoon, Manorville FD hief Howard Snow said. An acre and a half burned this morning south of Grumman Boulevard.
The fire has been contained, but Manorville and Riverhead firefighters are still on scene as of this posting, working to put out numerous hot spots.
No one was injured in either incident.
Brush fires sparked all over the region today on a day when the National Weather Service warned that dry conditions, low humidity and strong winds posed an elevated risk of the spread of wildfires. In addition to the two in Manorville, there was a large brush fire in Eastport this afternoon as well as brush fires in Westhampton, Bellport, Ridge, Bridgehampton and Nissequogue. A brush fire also erupted in Hagerman this afternoon, just as firefighters were mopping up hot spots in Manorville.
Snow said he was concerned that the fires might have been intentionally set. “It can’t be that many cigarettes thrown out of car windows catching fire,” the chief said.
Riverhead Fire Marshal Craig Zitek is on the scene in Manorville investigating. N.Y. State forest rangers also responded to the scene.
RiverheadLOCAL photos by Peter Blasl
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