Brush fires on New York's Long Island fanned by high winds have picked up quickly. The fires were spewing thick gray smoke into the sky and closed a major highway on Saturday.

Fast-moving brush fires fanned by high winds burned through a large swath of land on Long Island on Saturday, spewing thick gray smoke into the sky and prompting the evacuation of a military base and the closure of Sunrise Highway.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency Saturday afternoon as dozens of fire departments responded to Long Island’s Pine Barrens to gain control of massive brush fires fueled by strong winds.

Officials stated that due to the wind conditions, the fire could persist for several hours, or even days, as the winds continue to ignite the blaze.

The state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services warned that wind gusts up to 40 mph were likely, complicating efforts to douse flames.

Firefighters in New York have knocked down a dwindling brush fire in a wooded stretch of Long Island but officials say high wind gusts could leave the region vulnerable to additional blazes

Crews got the upper hand against the massive brush fires that raged across parts of Long Island's Pine Barrens, with the four brush fires knocked down on Sunday. More than 90 different fire departments,

Firefighters in New York continued to battle at least one brush fire in a wooded stretch of Long Island on Sunday

The brush fires were mostly contained by Sunday morning after burning about 600 acres, injuring two firefighters and prompting a state of emergency Saturday.

Wildfires blazed Saturday afternoon in a wooded area of Long Island amid strong winds, low humidity and a beetle infestation, New York officials said. Around 1 p.m., multiple wildfires broke out near Westhampton along a New York highway,