Latest news with #DECForestRangers
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Seasonal ban on outdoor burning takes effect
Burning brush outdoors is not allowed until mid-May. State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning began Sunday, March 16, and runs through May 14. Since 2009, DEC has enforced the annual brush burning ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities and first responders during heightened conditions for wildfires, according to a DEC news release. 'Prevention is best, and after a dry and windy winter season, DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to protect themselves and their communities by complying with the state's two-month burn ban,' Lefton said. 'As the seasons change, melting snow leaves behind dead leaves and brush more likely to catch fire and put our communities and natural resources at risk. In addition to protecting land and structures, the burn ban keeps DEC Forest Rangers and other firefighters safe and ready to respond to emergencies.' Even though some areas of the state remain blanketed in snow, warming temperatures can quickly cause wildfire conditions to arise. Open burning of debris is the single-largest cause of spring wildfires in New York state, according to the release. When temperatures warm and the past fall's debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily, further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation. "Each year, DEC Forest Rangers extinguish dozens of wildfires that burn hundreds of acres. In addition, local fire departments, many of which are staffed by volunteers, too often have to leave their jobs and families to respond to wildfires caused by illegal debris fires," the release stated. DEC continually updates a Fire Danger Map on DEC's website as a resource to view local conditions. New York first enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution. The regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires occur. Backyard fire pits and campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width or diameter are allowed, as are small cooking fires. Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated or unpainted wood can be burned. People should never leave those fires unattended and must extinguish them, the release stated. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York. For more information about fire safety and prevention in homes and communities, go to DEC's FIREWISE New York webpage. Some towns, primarily in and around the Adirondack and Catskill Parks, are designated "fire towns." Open burning is prohibited year-round in those municipalities unless an individual or group has a permit from DEC. To find out whether a municipality is a designated fire town or to obtain a permit, contact the appropriate DEC regional office. A list of regional offices is available on DEC's website. Forest Rangers, DEC environmental conservation police officers and local authorities enforce the burn ban. Violators are subject to criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. To report environmental law violations, call 844-332-3267.
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Seasonal ban on outdoor burning takes effect
Burning brush outdoors is not allowed until mid-May. State Department of Environmental Conservation Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced the annual statewide ban prohibiting residential brush burning began Sunday, March 16, and runs through May 14. Since 2009, DEC has enforced the annual brush burning ban to prevent wildfires and protect communities and first responders during heightened conditions for wildfires, according to a DEC news release. 'Prevention is best, and after a dry and windy winter season, DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to protect themselves and their communities by complying with the state's two-month burn ban,' Lefton said. 'As the seasons change, melting snow leaves behind dead leaves and brush more likely to catch fire and put our communities and natural resources at risk. In addition to protecting land and structures, the burn ban keeps DEC Forest Rangers and other firefighters safe and ready to respond to emergencies.' Even though some areas of the state remain blanketed in snow, warming temperatures can quickly cause wildfire conditions to arise. Open burning of debris is the single-largest cause of spring wildfires in New York state, according to the release. When temperatures warm and the past fall's debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily, further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation. "Each year, DEC Forest Rangers extinguish dozens of wildfires that burn hundreds of acres. In addition, local fire departments, many of which are staffed by volunteers, too often have to leave their jobs and families to respond to wildfires caused by illegal debris fires," the release stated. DEC continually updates a Fire Danger Map on DEC's website as a resource to view local conditions. New York first enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution. The regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year, but prohibit such burning in spring when most wildfires occur. Backyard fire pits and campfires less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width or diameter are allowed, as are small cooking fires. Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated or unpainted wood can be burned. People should never leave those fires unattended and must extinguish them, the release stated. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York. For more information about fire safety and prevention in homes and communities, go to DEC's FIREWISE New York webpage. Some towns, primarily in and around the Adirondack and Catskill Parks, are designated "fire towns." Open burning is prohibited year-round in those municipalities unless an individual or group has a permit from DEC. To find out whether a municipality is a designated fire town or to obtain a permit, contact the appropriate DEC regional office. A list of regional offices is available on DEC's website. Forest Rangers, DEC environmental conservation police officers and local authorities enforce the burn ban. Violators are subject to criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. To report environmental law violations, call 844-332-3267.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NY annual Burn Ban starts on March 16
NEW YORK, (WWTI) – Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced that the annual statewide prohibition on residential brush burning begins March 16 and will last until May 14. The DEC has enforced an annual brush-burning ban, since 2009, to control wildfires and safeguard communities and first responders during high wildfire risk periods. What's the deal with Capital One Cafés? How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last? Best AWD Cars for 2024 Bulls title banners removed for season after sustaining damage during Disturbed concert NY annual Burn Ban starts on March 16 'Prevention is best, and after a dry and windy winter season, DEC is encouraging New Yorkers to protect themselves and their communities by complying with the State's two-month burn ban that starts this Sunday, March 16,' Acting Commissioner Lefton said. 'As the seasons change, melting snow leaves behind dead leaves and brush more likely to catch fire and put our communities and natural resources at risk. In addition to protecting land and structures, the burn ban keeps DEC Forest Rangers and other firefighters safe and ready to respond to emergencies.' Even if certain sections of the state remain snow-covered, rising temperatures can soon lead to wildfires. Open burning of debris is the leading cause of spring wildfires in New York State. When temperatures rise and the debris and leaves from the previous fall dry out, wildfires can easily start and spread, aided by winds and a lack of green vegetation. Every year, DEC Forest Rangers suppress scores of wildfires across hundreds of acres. Furthermore, local fire crews, many of whom are manned by volunteers, are frequently forced to abandon their jobs and families to combat wildfires caused by illegal debris burns. DEC maintains a Fire Danger Map on its website as a reference for viewing local circumstances. In 2009, New York implemented strict restrictions on open burning to help prevent wildfires and reduce air pollution. Residential brush fires are permitted in municipalities with fewer than 20,000 persons for the majority of the year, although such burning is prohibited in the spring, when most wildfires occur. Backyard fire pits and campfires of less than three feet in height and four feet in length, width, or circumference are permitted, as are modest cooking fires. Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated or unpainted wood may be burned. People should never leave these fires unattended and must put them out. In New York State, burning waste or leaves is forbidden year-round. For additional information on fire safety and prevention in homes and communities, you can visit DEC's FIREWISE New York website. Some towns, particularly in and around the Adirondack and Catskill Parks, are designated as 'fire towns.' Open burning is forbidden year-round in these localities unless an individual or group gets DEC permission. To find out if a municipality is a designated fire town or to apply for a permit, contact the appropriate DEC regional office. The DEC website provides a list of regional offices. Forest Rangers, DEC Environmental Conservation Police Officers (ECOs), and local governments enforce the burn ban. Violators of the State's open burning regulation face criminal and civil enforcement procedures, with a minimum fine of $500 for the first violation. To report a wildfire, search and rescue or illegal activity on state lands and easements, you can call 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264). You can report an environmental infraction, at 1-844-DEC-ECOs (1-844-332-3267). DEC has issued a new Public Service Announcement to help spread the news about the yearly burn ban, which is available for download HERE. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
