SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – Suffolk County police and fire officials believe a series of brush fires on Long Island in New York over the weekend began accidentally. 

The fires, called the Westhampton Pines Fire, ignited during the late-morning and early-afternoon hours on Saturday and appeared to be fueled by a combination of low humidity and gusty winds that reached speeds of up to 40 mph.

Suffolk County Police Commissioner Kevin Catalina said on Monday that someone attempted to light a fire with cardboard to roast s’mores in their backyard on Saturday morning around 9:30 a.m. The cardboard eventually caught flame and ignited, resulting in local firefighters coming to put out the blaze. 

Catalina said they believe embers from that fire spread, causing one fire, which caused another, and so on. 

The fires burned hundreds of acres in Suffolk County, and two firefighters were injured when battling the blazes.

Suffolk County officials said the fire was fully knocked down and 100% contained as of Monday morning.

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Thick black smoke filled the sky and was visible as far away as Connecticut on Saturday as the flames consumed vegetation and damaged at least two structures, destroying one of them.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a state of emergency in Suffolk County as crews worked tirelessly to contain and extinguish the flames.

She confirmed that multiple state and local agencies had mobilized to combat the fires, with efforts coordinated to protect structures in the Pine Barrens area of Long Island.

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“We are in close communication with local partners on Long Island to coordinate assistance and make sure they have the resources they need to protect their communities,” Hochul said in a post on X.

In addition, Hochul said helicopters from the New York National Guard were providing air support.

According to information provided by Suffolk County Emergency Management officials to FOX News National Correspondent CB Cotton, at least two firefighters have been injured fighting the fires, but both have been listed in good condition.

On Sunday, the New York Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services issued a burn ban for Long Island, New York City and the lower Hudson Valley. A statewide ban goes into effect on March 16.  

Fortunately, due to the stiff northwesterly winds, smoke was largely carried offshore over the Atlantic Ocean, leading to some air quality concerns across the New York City metro.

Some of the smoke plumes were large enough to be seen on radar, with returns indicating that the smoke and ash were billowing over the Atlantic.

“There are hotspots being addressed in Eastport right now, but no visible fire in Westhampton per ground crews,” Southampton Public Safety and Emergency Management Administrator Ryan Murphy said.

Fire officials said they reached 80% containment of the blazes by Saturday night. 

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The Empire State is not the only state grappling with brush fires; large swaths of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast have had similar bouts with flames.

The combination of dry vegetation, an intensifying drought and gusty winds has created an environment ripe for wildfires along the Eastern Seaboard, from southern New England through Florida.

Many communities in the region are experiencing conditions that range from “abnormally dry” to “extreme,” which enhances the amount of vegetation available to fuel fires.

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Meteorologists expected winds around the New York tri-state area to remain elevated through the weekend, but some moisture returned in the form of scattered rain showers on Sunday, and higher humidity levels are expected during the week ahead.

The increased moisture should help firefighters gain a better handle on any uncontrolled fires and limit potential issues with smoke along Long Island.