Suffolk Officials and law enforcement confirmed that a series of fires that burned 420 acres of pine barrens over the weekend were accidentally started by a family trying to light a backyard fire to make S’mores.
"Following an investigation by Suffolk County Police Arson Section detectives, the cause of multiple brush fires has been preliminarily ruled accidental. Detectives believe the cause is related to a fire that spread following an attempt to make s'mores at a home on North Cozine Road in Manorville. It’s believed strong winds spurred additional fires from embers leading to the brush fires," said the Suffolk County Police Department in their statement.
Thinking they were unsuccessful in making a fire using cardboard, the North Cozine Road family went inside, only to find that embers set the woods on fire, according to Suffolk Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina.
The Center Moriches Fire Department extinguished the brush fire, which generated embers driven by high winds toward East Moriches.
Four separate fires, including one in Eastport, were ignited before the massive wildfire broke out in the dwarf pine barrens near Gabreski Airport in Westhampton.
County Executive Ed Romaine credits a rapid response from 80 Long Island fire departments and 10 EMS units for bringing the fire under control in about 12 hours. As of Monday morning, the fire was deemed completely out as crews cleared containment perimeters and searched for hot spots.
“We were very worried that the fire would cross Sunrise Highway, and we were lucky it didn’t,” Romaine said, referencing a 1995 fire that burned 7,000 acres. The Suffolk Police Department (SCPD) put 25 detectives on the case and is continuing to review video footage and 9-11 calls, Catalina said.