UPDATE: Brush Fire Threat Cancelled; Red Flag Warning in Effect

Update: A Fire Weather Watch issued by the National Weather Service has been downgraded to a Red Flag Warning for all of Long Island until 8 p.m. Wednesday as a dry air mass and high winds have elevated a potential brushfire threat.

A dry airmass pushed into the area on Monday night behind a cold front that has dropped temperatures about 10 degrees. The air has quickly dried out and lighter material such as leaves, sticks and pine needles and could create the perfect kindling to start a fire.

The National Weather Service called it an "enhanced threat for the spread of wildfires" in its most recent message. "Any fires that start may rapily spread and be hard to extinguish."

With winds expected to be 15 to 25 mph and as high as 35 mph, any small fires could quickly escalate to brushfires or even a wildfire as dried material ignites.

Forecasts call for winds to be highest and relative humidity to be lowest during the afternoon. Residents should take precaution to put outdoor flames out, including lit cigarettes.

Previous: The National Weather Service has placed Westhampton and Hampton Bays and all of Long Island in a Fire Weather Watch through Wednesday evening as very dry air and dried vegetation could lead to brush fires.

The cold front that pushed through the northeast on Monday afternoon brought with it extremely dry air with low relative humidity, leading to the area having conditions that could lead to a brush fire outbreak. The National Weather Service called it an "enhanced threat for the spread of wildfires" in its most recent message.

The Fire Weather Watch in effect until Wednesday evening warns against gusty winds, dry air and even drier fine fuels, such as leaves and sticks, which could lead to brush fires across the region.

Current forecasts call for winds of between 15 to 25 mph on Wednesday, gusting as high as 35 mph. The lowest relative humidities and highest winds are also forecasted for Wednesday afternoon, leading to an increased threat during that time.

Long Island faced a period of wildfire outbreaks during the spring of 2012, when a dry air mass lasted over the area for a few weeks. Large fires swept across wooded and residential areas on eastern Long Island in the Town of Brookhaven.

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