Prospect Park was on fire last night.
Growing up in Brooklyn meant regular trips to the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket in the spring and volunteering to rake leaves in Prospect Park in the fall. My grandmother looks forward to Smorgasbord in the park all year.
Last summer, the city was plagued with smoke from the Canadian wildfires. The city skyline literally turned yellow, and residents were told to stay inside for the sake of their lung health. For most New Yorkers, it was the first time we actually had to deal with anything related to wildfires.
New York has fairly normal weather in my opinion. Cold, windy winters. Humid summers. I regularly look forward to the approach of fall, the wind turning crisp and the leaves changing color.
But now, Prospect Park burns. It was around 70° on Halloween, and almost 80° around Election Day. The last time rain was recorded in New York City was September 27. There are wildfires in New Jersey, too; firefighters are using water from the Hudson River to bring moisture back to the area.
I don’t want to preach about the danger of climate change because I’m not an environmentalist. I do think we should be a bit more grateful for our planet. Very soon, a snowy Christmas in New York City may be a miracle, so appreciate it.
love,
malaika <3
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