Traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks celebrations in Central Park and Prospect Park have been canceled this year due to the ongoing drought throughout New York City.
City Hall canceled all fireworks permits in mid-November when the city declared a drought emergency, and conditions are now expected to continue through New Year’s Eve.
Celebration organizers in Central Park and Prospect Park said they would pivot to other celebrations. In Prospect Park, a drone show with depictions of the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge will be part of the festivities.
The Central Park celebration, organized by New York Road Runners, traditionally also includes a four-mile run around the park’s inner loop. The run will go ahead as scheduled while the group considers other festive activities, NYRR told WABC.
There are traditionally four major fireworks shows in New York City on New Year’s Eve, including displays over Times Square and New York Harbor. The fate of those displays remained unclear Thursday.
The five boroughs have been under a drought warning since Nov. 18, when Mayor Adams declared new water restrictions for city agencies. Part of the drought warning cancels all fireworks and open flame permits in city parks.
“While we cannot make it rain, we can take actions to reduce the risk of drought emergencies in our city,” Adams said at a press conference.
Firefighters doused nearly 300 brush fires across the city in November, including an unheard-of 215 blazes in the first 14 days of the month. One of the largest fires was in Prospect Park and burned two acres, requiring at least 100 smoke-eaters to put it out.
The dry stretch has continued into December, with city reservoirs below 60% capacity despite rain showers over Thanksgiving weekend. Typically, reservoirs are about 82% full in the first week of December.
Drought conditions across the tri-state area have already forced officials to ban fireworks at a major celebration in New Jersey. The large Indian-American community in Edison was banned from using fireworks to celebrate Diwali in late October because of the drought emergency in New Jersey.
