Long Island firefighter accused of setting Medford brush fire

By Renee Anderson

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    MEDFORD, New York (WCBS) — A volunteer firefighter on Long Island is accused of intentionally setting a brush fire that burned through a wooded area in Medford, New York.

Suffolk County Police said Medford Fire Department volunteer firefighter Jonathan Quiles was arrested on charges of arson and reckless endangerment.

The 20-year-old from Medford is accused of starting a brush fire on Mount Vernon Avenue shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 12.

The fire burned through a portion of the woods and damaged a 2004 Chevrolet that was parked nearby, police said.

The Medford Fire District chairman said Quiles had undergone a background check and did not appear to have “any inclination of intentionally setting fires.” He is currently suspended and could be fired if convicted.

“It’s unfortunate this turned out to be a volunteer firefighter… No one is above the law,” Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico said during a news conference Wednesday. “This could have caused significant damage to the Town of Brookhaven park and also loss of life. We’re under Red Flag Warnings, and everyone should recognize that.”

The supervisor added the hamlet will look to recoup any costs to repair the damage, saying he hopes this serves as a cautionary tale.

“Unfortunately, under New York’s ‘bail reform,’ intentionally setting fires in the midst of the dangerously dry conditions and a statewide burn ban are not bail eligible offenses, meaning my prosecutors cannot even ask for bail on these charges,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said.

Red Flag Warning for Long Island

A Red Flag Warning has been in place for the island since Tuesday morning, as the dry and windy weather make for dangerous fire conditions. The warning is set to expire at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued an outdoor burn ban as the red flag conditions continue, and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy elevated the drought advisory from a watch to a warning on Wednesday.

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker says the city has seen a record number of brush fires in the past two weeks, including one that broke out over the weekend in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and others in Van Cortlandt Park, near the Marine Park golf course and Great Kills landfill.

Firefighters battled another brush fire in the Palisades along the Hudson River, and they’re still on the scene of the deadly Jennings Creek wildfire at the New York-New Jersey border near Greenwood Lake. At last update, the wildfire was about 30% contained and had burned through 5,000 acres, according to the New York State Parks Department.

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