Wildfires surge across the Northeast, driven by heat and drought

New York’s unseasonable November wildfires, fueled by severe drought and high temperatures, signal a troubling shift in the region’s climate resilience.

Paige Vega reports for Vox.

In short:

• Fires erupted in New York’s Prospect Park and the New York-New Jersey border, reflecting an unusual spread of wildfires across the Northeast.
• Severe drought and record high temperatures in October have created dry, fire-prone conditions across the region.
• Climatologists warn that elevated temperatures through the fall exacerbate water scarcity and wildfire risk in areas unaccustomed to such extremes.

Key quote:

Climate change “is no longer theoretical or a distant threat, an abstract one. It is not something that happens in the future here. It is not something only happening in places far away from where we live. All weather is now being affected.”

— Aradhna Tripati, climate scientist at UCLA

Why this matters:

The East Coast, traditionally humid and fire-resistant, faces intensifying droughts and wildfire risks that challenge water resources and public safety. As climate change disrupts seasonal norms, communities must adapt to new hazards previously limited largely to more arid regions.

Read more: Wildfires in North America are burning fiercely this year