Kings Point Park, a beloved escape for runners, walkers, and nature lovers, was left scarred after a sudden brush fire ripped through six acres, sending smoke over Great Neck and drawing a massive firefighting response.
Senior Justin Sharif is a firefighter and future EMT at the Great Neck Alert, and he helped take down the fire.
“I grew up playing soccer at Kings Point Park, and there was no way I was going to stand by and watch it burn,” Sharif said.
The brush fire swept through Kings Point Park on Monday, Mar. 10, charring six acres of land and gaining a swift response from multiple fire departments across Nassau County.
Thick smoke and flames threatened one of Great Neck’s most popular nature retreats, raising concerns about fire risks in the region.
“As soon as I saw the smoke rising from the trees and caught the scent of the smoke in the air, I knew it was go-time,” Sharif said. “My crew and I worked tirelessly throughout the afternoon, ensuring that the fire was extinguished and that Kings Point Park would remain a safe place for Great Neck residents to enjoy.”
The Great Neck Park District received reports of the fire around 2 p.m. Firefighters from the Alert Fire Company and Kings Point Police immediately dispatched to the scene.
Senior Owen Flood is a firefighter at the Great Neck Vigilant and helped battle the fire that day.
“For over an hour and a half we kept spraying down the fire area, ensuring there wee no dry spots remaining,” Flood said.
Using drones to assess the damage, responders determined that the fire had spread across six acres. While the exact cause remains undetermined, officials believe it was likely a naturally occurring fire rather than an act of arson.
Due to the scale of the blaze, the Great Neck Alert Fire Company requested mutual aid from the Vigilant, Manhasset, Lakeville, and other Nassau County fire departments. Crews worked for hours to contain the flames, facing challenges due to the nearest fire hydrant being 300 feet outside the park — while the fire itself was over 1,000 feet away.
“Once I got there, we realized the fire began to reach further than our hose lines were initially stretched,” Flood said. “My job, along with five others, was to add additional hose lengths so we could reach as far into the park as possible.”
Despite the difficulties, firefighters successfully extinguished the fire by 5 p.m., ensuring the area was thoroughly watered down to prevent reignition.
On Long Island, brush fires have become an increasing concern, particularly in the pine barrens of Suffolk County. In the past two decades alone, multiple fires have ignited in the East End, threatening the island’s unique ecosystem. And the problem extends far beyond Nassau and Suffolk.
Globally, extreme wildfires have more than doubled in the last 20 years, with scientists linking their rise to climate change. Rising temperatures and prolonged dry spells create the perfect conditions for wildfires to ignite and spread rapidly. Even areas not historically prone to large fires — such as parts of the Northeast — are beginning to see an uptick in fire activity.
Though the Kings Point Park fire was contained before it could spread further, it stresses the increasing risks posed by dry conditions and shifting climate patterns. As wildfires become more frequent, communities must remain vigilant, strengthening fire preparedness and taking proactive steps to protect natural spaces before they go up in flames.
In Great Neck, we are fortunate to have not just one, but multiple fire departments ready to respond when needed. While we may not always prevent fires like the one at Kings Point Park, we can come together as a community to fight them — ensuring that our parks, forests, and neighborhoods endure.
