Towns and communities in Long Island, New York, were on alert Saturday after brush fires spewed thick smoke into the air. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency in Suffolk County as the fires raged on -- with gusty conditions expected to last through Sunday evening.

Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and said state agencies were responding to the fires around the Pine Barrens, a wooded area that is home to commuter towns east of New York City. She said homes, a chemical factory and an Amazon warehouse were at risk and more evacuations may be needed.

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.