Brush fires at New York City’s Central Park investigated as arson

Images posted to social media and the Citizen crime app show clusters of smoke clouds drifting over the north edge of the Central Park. Photograph: Ross Kenneth Urken

Several brush fires were set ablaze in New York’s world-famous Central Park on Tuesday afternoon and the authorities are examining whether arson was the cause.

Clouds of smoke were wafting over the park’s north woods area as the New York fire department worked to contain the flames.