A HUGE wildfire has erupted near the wealthy Hamptons enclave of New York, blacking out the sky with huge clouds of smoke.
Flames ripped along Sunrise Highway in the Long Island neighbourhood on Saturday afternoon, according to the Eastport Fire Department.
Thick black smoke has swallowed the skies as the blaze continues to rage.
Sunrise Highway is closed in both directions, per Suffolk County police, and numerous fire departments are battling the flames.
Detective Sergeant Gina Laferrera urged: “Please stay clear of the areas”, in an email to Newsday.
She added: “Additional road closures may occur due to the ever-changing situation.”
Some people living in the area have reportedly evacuated voluntarily.
Experts have said that weather conditions could have added to the fire’s severity.
A meteorologist named Bryan Ramsey explained to Newsday that the primary factor contributing to the risk is the powerful winds blowing in from the northwest, with gusts reaching speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.
“Whenever you tie that in with low humidity it can lead to an elevated risk for fire spread.
“We’ll have a minimum humidity around 30 percent. So, we urge people to use extreme caution with potential ignition sources.”
