A New York state parks employee died Saturday while battling a wildfire in Orange County, one of several wildfires in the New York metropolitan area that have recently broken out in drought conditions.

The fire started in Passaic County, New Jersey, then spread to Sterling Forest, located in Greenwood Lake, New York, police said.

New York State Police identified the employee as 18-year-old Dariel Vasquez. Vasquez was a parks and recreation assistant employed by the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

The New York State Police are currently investigating the incident.

“I am deeply saddened by the death of one of our New York State Parks employees while responding to a wildfire in Orange County yesterday. My prayers go out to his family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul. said in a statement.

JUMP TO AIR QUALITY ALERT | THE LAST FIRES

Air quality alerts will remain in effect until Sunday for New York City area, as well as for Orange and Putnam counties in New York State.

Residents in the New York area woke up to the smell of smoke from fires burning nearby, and pollutants suspended in the air from the smoke led to the emission of air quality alerts.

According to New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), the air quality index reached 201 (very unhealthy), putting residents at risk.

“Serious health effects are possible,” NYCEM said at X. “High-quality masks can reduce exposure to air pollution.”

Emergency authorities asked residents to reschedule outdoor activities and stay at home.

“Limit outdoor activity to one hour or less, especially if you have underlying health problems,” the department continued.

According to the office of the National Meteorological Service in AlbanyNew York, a change in wind the southerly direction could allow smoke to move north and affect areas of eastern New York state.

Forest fires are still raging in parts of NORTH EAST Sunday.

A wildfire is burning near the New York-New Jersey state line and appears to have been the source of the smoke over the weekend, according to the FOX Forecast Center. The The Jennings Creek Fire burned at least 2,000 acres and threatened at least 10 structures. As of Sunday morning, the Jennings Creek fire is 0 percent contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

A brush fire burns in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey on November 8, 2024. (Englewood Cliffs Fire Department/FOX Weather)

Other nearby fires include several acres of brush are burning in the Englewood Cliffs of northern New Jersey.

Meanwhile, wildfires and smoke remain a threat throughout the weekend NORTH EAST endures one of the driest stretches on record. Millions from Connecticut TO Massachusetts are under a fire weather warning for Sunday due to the increased risk of favorable weather conditions for wildfires.

This chart shows the fire weather warnings in effect for the Northeast on Sunday, November 10, 2024. (FOX Weather)

Firefighters worked at least a dozen fires in the New York tri-state area on Friday, also sending occasional plumes of smoke into New York City neighborhoods.

One of those fires brought in dozens of firefighters from the Fire Department of New York to Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

“New Yorkers come together in times of crisis, and right now, in the midst of the driest period in recent memory, we need New Yorkers to do just that and conserve as much water as possible,” said New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams, in a recent statement. .

There is good news in the forecast once the weekend is over. A cold front will bring the first soaking rain to the region in weeks late Sunday into Monday, improving air quality and fire conditions.

FOX Weather contributed to this report.