NYC's Latest Weather Danger: Elevated Fire Risk

NEW YORK CITY — Between climate change, a once-in-a-century pandemic, societal unrest and war, it sometimes feels like the world is on fire.

And Thursday in New York City, the fire could be literal.

The city is under a seldom-seen special weather statement by the National Weather Service that warns conditions are ripe to spread fire.

"A very dry airmass will combine with gusty northwest winds, resulting in an elevated risk of fire spread today into early evening," the statement reads. "Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 30 to 35 mph are expected, with minimum relative humidities between 15 to 25 percent."

The risk of wildfire in general is obviously low in New York City, as it is a densely developed urban metropolis.

But fire in general is the most common emergency in the city, according to Emergency Management officials.

"Brush fires can also occur in New York City when temperatures climb and vegetation dries out," the Emergency Management's website states.

And wildfires have recently hit the city's parks, albeit under suspicious circumstances.

A suspected arsonist has been setting brush fires in Central Park in recent weeks.

Central Park's first spate of fires in March took FDNY firefighters two hours to extinguish. Weeks later, another set of suspicious fires kindled in the Rambles.

Other than the fire risk, New York City is predicted to have a beautiful day weather-wise Thursday.

Sunny skies and a high of 57 degrees will greet New Yorkers, although they'll have to contend with breezy conditions, with winds up to 24 mph, the forecast states.

Here's the complete National Weather Service forecast.

Thursday
Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 57. Breezy, with a northwest wind 20 to 24 mph.

Thursday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 41. Breezy, with a northwest wind 13 to 23 mph.

Friday
Sunny, with a high near 62. Breezy, with a northwest wind 16 to 21 mph.

Friday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 45. Northwest wind 11 to 16 mph.

Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 65. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Saturday Night
Mostly clear, with a low around 47.

Sunday
Sunny, with a high near 62.

Sunday Night
A 30 percent chance of showers after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53.

Monday
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57.

Monday Night
A 40 percent chance of showers before 3am. Cloudy, with a low around 55.

Tuesday
A 30 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 64.

Tuesday Night
A 50 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57.

Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 66.