A New York volunteer firefighter is accused of intentionally setting a brush fire, as officials issued a statewide burn ban due to increased fire risk.
Jonathan Quiles, 20, a volunteer firefighter with the Medford Fire Department in Suffolk County, was arrested on Tuesday, police said.
He allegedly intentionally set a fire in a wooded area of Medford on Tuesday at approximately 3:35 p.m. Tuesday, Suffolk County police said. The fire also damaged a 2004 Chevrolet that was parked nearby, police said.
Video linked Quiles to the fire, according to Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine. The firefighter was arrested after an officer recognized his vehicle and conducted a car stop, officials said.
No details on an alleged motive in the incident have been released.
When reached for comment on the charges, Quiles’ attorney, Anthony La Pinta, said in a statement to ABC News, “Jonathan has a history of being a peaceful, good natured and polite young man who has, in the past, successfully worked through a number of personal challenges.”
Quiles was charged with five counts of misdemeanor arson and one count of felony arson, officials said. He was arraigned on Wednesday.
Quiles has been suspended and will be terminated from the Medford Fire Department if convicted, the Medford Fire District said.
“The Medford Fire District perform arson background checks before admitting members and there was no knowledge to suspect that this individual may have had any inclination of intentionally setting fires,” the Medford Fire District said in a statement on Wednesday.
The fire remains under investigation.
Numerous other fires that have occurred in the area are also under investigation, officials said.
Daniel Panico, the supervisor for the Town of Brookhaven, called the alleged arson incident “unfortunate.”
“No one is above the law, and his regrettable actions imperiled his brother and sister firefighters, potentially could have caused significant damage to the town of Brookhaven Park, and also potential loss of life,” Panico said during a press briefing on Wednesday.
“I hope that this arrest will serve as a warning and a cautionary tale against those who may want to repeat these regrettable actions,” he added.
The National Weather Service issued numerous red flag fire danger warnings throughout New Jersey and New York. At least 15 New York counties were under red flag warnings Tuesday afternoon as well as New York City and all of Long Island.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul issued a statewide burn ban on Tuesday, lasting through the end of the month, due to the increased fire risk.
Nearly a dozen wildfires are burning in the state, including the largest, the Jennings Creek Fire, straddling the border between Passaic County, New Jersey, and Orange County, New York.
