Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico and Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine were present during the efforts to combat the Westhampton Wildfires over the weekend. The fire, which consumed over 400 acres of the Pine Barrens, was finally extinguished after extensive work by numerous local firefighters. On Sunday, crews utilized bulldozers and other heavy machinery to remove trees in a bid to halt further spread.
The cause of this destructive wildfire is currently under investigation by the Suffolk County Police Arson Squad. A team comprising 25 detectives and arson investigators is actively looking into how the fire started.
Supervisor Panico commented on the situation, stating, “While the wind fanned these flames and made the fire tougher to put out due to the wind also in the Town of Brookhaven although we are sorry for what occurred in Southampton, it was fortuitous because had this wind blown to the southwest, this fire would have ravaged through potentially Eastport, the business district, Manorville, a ton of homes East Moriches, it could have been a very different fire had it gone into Brookhaven Town.”
The region has been facing a severe drought since Fall 2024, which is believed to have played a role in facilitating the fire's rapid spread. Additionally, an infestation by the Southern Pine Beetle left many dead trees across a three-mile by one-mile area of forest that contributed to fueling the blaze.