STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The borough of parks.

Staten Island is renowned for its lush forests and prominent marshes. But given recent weather conditions, in many cases, these plots of land have dried up, leaving dead vegetation in their wake.

Under certain conditions, these dried-up leaves and brush could serve as tinder to a fire capable of spreading rapidly.

On March 18, the Advance/SILive.com published a story highlighting the concerns of Jack Russo , 75, a 50-year resident of Staten Island who expressed worry over the condition of natural lands on Staten Island’s South Shore.

Since then, more residents have come forth to echo Russo’s call for action, citing concern over additional areas close to their homes.

A field of reeds and a fear of flames

Among these individuals is Victoria Trombetta, 63, a resident of Ocean Breeze, who lives with her 87-year-old mother at the end of McDermott Avenue.

Trombetta says her mother is the original owner of the McDermott Avenue home, having moved there in 1963. She said it was her understanding at the time, that Mason Avenue would soon be extended from Benton Avenue to Delaware Avenue, near Staten Island University Hospital.

Needless to say, time passed and the linking of Mason Avenue never came to fruition. Instead, the wetlands have encroached upon the homes and ushered forth the fear from Trombetta that her aging mother, who has a difficult time getting around, could be left helpless in the event of a wildfire.

“The weeds abut her fence,” Trombetta said. “There was, at one point, they were growing up on the electrical lines and it was a fight just to get the electrical lines cleaned because the phone company said it was the electric company’s poles and the electric company said it was the phone company’s responsibility.”

At one time, Trombetta says that her mother had the aid of a helping hand at the New York City Parks Department who regularly maintained the plants at the end of McDermott Avenue, but that individual has since moved on to a different role.

Since then, Trombetta has attempted to contact numerous agencies in the hopes of seeing some change to care for the land and reduce the overgrowth. Despite these pleas, Trombetta says departments have passed the buck and denied responsibility for the land upon which these plants are growing.

“I mean she’s 87, she walks with a walker, can’t get down the stairs by herself,” Trombetta said of her mother.

“In all honesty, I mean, if she’s home alone we got to make sure the neighbors know,” added Trombetta. “If she isn’t home, we have to make sure the neighbors know, because God forbid something happens, you know, they need to know if this woman’s in the house and she can’t get out.”

In recent months, Trombetta reached out to the Parks Department on the matter and received a response stating that there was already a yearly cleanup.

“Their idea of cleaning it up was they came and mowed part of it and it’s like part of it,” Trombetta explained.

In emphasizing the drastic growth of the nearby plants, Trombetta shared how when she was young there was a nearby creek in the line of sight of the home.

“You can’t even see the creek anymore cause it’s overgrown over the creek,” said Trombetta.

A major factor in a wildfire, apart from dry conditions, is wind. For Trombetta, there’s certainly no shortage, as the home is “a straight run” through the field from the beach and its coastal winds. Should a fire break out in the wetlands, these conditions could pose a threat.

Hazardous parking

A resident of Billiou Street in Huguenot also reached out to the Advance/SILive.com to share his concerns over the danger posed by dead leaves in Staten Island’s natural areas.

“The truth is, is that, that’s all connected to the Bluebelt and with the dry conditions and the leaves and everything, yeah, it could trigger a fire there,” the concerned resident said.

The 25-year resident of Billiou Street says there was a time when boulders lined the street and prevented vehicles from parking on the natural land. However, that has changed, and now, given how narrow the road is, residents have taken to partially parking on the Bluebelt grounds.

This situation is particularly alarming for the concerned resident who believes a fire could break out, should brush or leaves make contact with the vehicles’ hot exhaust.

“If you go look at the woods across the street from my house, they’re so littered with trees and stuff,” the resident said.

Much like Trombetta and Russo, this resident fears a wildfire could break out and spread to Staten Island residences.

“Go from Richmond Avenue to Huguenot Avenue along Amboy Road. The amount of downed trees, branches and other burnable material is scary — it’s scary,” Russo, who now lives in Annadale, previously said. “Should something break out, I don’t think anybody is going to be able to control it for quite some time.”

Wildfires a legitimate concern?

As previously reported, from Dec. 1, 2024, through March 13, 2025, New York City had seen around 73% of its historical average rainfall amount, according to Bob Larson, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather .

“That’s not a good place to be as you head into spring, which is a time of year that, as I said, is often vulnerable to brush fires before the vegetation grows in and before the humidity levels really ramp up as we get later into spring and head toward summer,” Larson said at the time.

As of March 18, New York City continues to experience moderate drought conditions, as reported by the U.S. Drought Monitor .

Spring is often a concern for wildfires given that vegetation on trees is minimal and there could be plenty of dry brush on the ground, added Larson. The threat of wildfires is magnified if it is relatively dry, the wind is elevated, the sun is shining and humidity is low.

Staten Island saw a surge of brush fires in the fall of 2024 due to exceptionally dry conditions. While not as dry as then, a brush fire broke out on March 13 in Oakwood Beach.

While Russo shined a spotlight on the uprooted trees in these natural lands, a New York City Parks Department spokesperson explained that this wood debris is part of the structure of natural forests; it’s finer materials like leaves and grass that typically pose a greater risk.

Should resources allow, the department removes overabundant plants such as phragmites, otherwise known as common reed grass, the same type seen near Trombetta’s home. It’s this type of vegetation that the spokesperson expressed concern over as they can quickly spread brush fires.

Through funding by the Staten Island Borough President’s Office, the department has managed fire-prone areas on the South Shore by mowing dense strands of common reed since 2017, the spokesman added.

“Brush fires in our parks and natural areas can be incredibly dangerous and damaging,” Gregg McQueen, a Park Department press officer, said. “Protecting New Yorkers — along with our vital natural areas and green spaces — is of the utmost importance.”

Action by the borough president

Those living along Staten Island’s East Shore are likely well aware of the reeds which could pose a risk to residences.

In acknowledging this hazard, Borough President Vito Fossella, who grew up in South Beach, launched a Firebreaks program in 2022 , a successor to efforts by previous Borough Hall administrations. This program allows East Shore residents to apply for a permit to mow phragmites around their home to reduce the risk of a brush fire.

The Firebreak Program remains in effect and permits are good through 2028.

To apply, visit www.statenislandusa.com/firebreaks.html .

“We understand the concerns residents have regarding the potential for wildfires on Staten Island, especially given the fire in Oakwood Beach two weeks ago,” Fossella said. “We are mindful that, just a few months ago, Staten Island experienced several wildfires during a historic dry season. While this current season hasn’t quite gotten to that point, there remains a concern.”

“We continue to encourage residents to apply for a Firebreak Permit through our office and keep their property safe, if it is susceptible to wildfires due to a presence of phragmites,” he added. “And, we will also engage with the Parks Department, FDNY, DEP and DOT, when necessary, when concerns about dry brush and flammable material arise.”