Riverside Park Conservancy | November 15, 2024
Riverside Park Conservancy is deeply concerned and disheartened by the ongoing brush fires and drought conditions impacting New York City and the surrounding region. As a Conservancy caring for 6 miles of parkland, 27 acres of forest, and more than 28,000 trees, we are keenly aware of the fire risk facing our parkland.
Fellow parks across New York City, including nearby Inwood Hill and Highbridge Parks, have faced devastating brush fires. As of this writing, the FDNY reported that they have responded to 229 brush fire incidents across the City since October 29.
During this time of continued brush fires in the region, preventing fires in Riverside Park is the top priority for the Conservancy team. Our staff are working tirelessly throughout the Park, but we can’t be everywhere at once. We call on our neighbors and parkgoers to join us in being extra vigilant and looking out for smoke and fire. Call 911 immediately (not 311) if you see signs of fire in the Park.
Fires can start and spread extremely quickly in these current dry conditions. Grilling, smoking, and hot exhaust pipes can all ignite fires. Please note that smoking is banned in parks, and we remind neighbors to be particularly adherent to this rule at this moment. All forms of grilling and barbequing are banned temporarily, even in designated areas.
Conservancy staff have been advised to immediately report any signs of smoke, fire or grilling. Our team is taking additional safety measures regarding equipment use in these dry conditions, such as keeping hot engine components away from brush and being extra cautious while refueling vehicles and other equipment.
Our dedicated team of horticulture experts are working hard to protect the Park’s landscapes, ensuring new plantings are watered and given the best chance of survival. We are concerned about drought damage to our shrubs and trees, but we won’t know the full extent of loss of plant life until spring, since most of the plants have gone dormant for the season.
2024 was the driest October on record for NYC – coming just one year after the wettest October on record. These extreme weather patterns are a stark reminder of how climate change is actively affecting our city and the lives of New Yorkers. Dangerous flooding, extreme heat conditions, and these brush fires and drought conditions are tangible signs of how climate change is – and will continue to – negatively impact our communities.
Additionally, these fires underscore a deeper issue: chronic underfunding of NYC’s parks and green spaces. Riverside Park Conservancy, alongside our partners in the PlayFair Coalition, continues to advocate for adequate funding for NYC Parks. Currently, NYC Parks receives less than 1% of the city budget, and repeated budget cuts have harmed our parks and communities.
An analysis by THE CITY revealed that the Parks Department’s budget for fiscal year 2025 is just 0.55% of the total city budget, marking the lowest share in a decade. Furthermore, the reduction of approximately 800 staffing lines, including fewer Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP) officers, has diminished the Department’s capacity to monitor and respond to incidents promptly, increasing the risk of fires burning longer before being reported.
We encourage our friends and neighbors on the West Side (and beyond) to help in three ways:
- Be our eyes and ears in the Park! Your vigilance can help prevent fires from starting or spreading. Call 311 to report illegal grilling. If you see or smell any open fires in the park, please call 911 immediately.
- Be an advocate for essential Park funding! Use this link to send a letter to Mayor Adams and the City Council, demanding that they restore the funding for 800 essential Parks jobs in this year’s budget.
- Become a friend of the Conservancy! Sign up for our e-newsletter and follow us on social media to learn more about hundreds of free events, opportunities for volunteering and other ways that you can get involved locally with Riverside Park.
About Riverside Park Conservancy
From 59th Street to 181st Street, from riverfront to city-side, Riverside Park Conservancy cares for and enhances six miles of parkland for present and future generations. Working together with the New York City Parks Department, we make improvements as diverse as the park itself and the city it serves.
