Forest Fires
To report a forest fire call 911 immediately.
Forest Ranger Emergency Contact:
- 518-408-5850
- 518-891-0235 (Adirondacks)
Watch a public service announcement on open burning on DEC TV.
Forest fires destroy thousands of acres of precious resources every year. Although forest fires are sometimes periodical natural occurrences, many causes of forest fires are human activities. To protect our forest land from fire damage, everyone needs to be vigilant about observing safety precautions. Not all forest fires are negative events. Prescribed fire is a vegetative management tool used to maintain fire dependent ecosystems and restore natural balance. Throughout the long history of forest firefighting, many new insights and techniques have evolved as a result of research and development. On this page, there are links leading to tips for the public, measures taken by local and state agencies and cooperative efforts among the local, states' and federal governments.
Wildfires
Wildfires are unplanned or unwanted fires burning vegetation in areas where development is minimal or non-existent. They may also be referred to as forest fires, brush fires, grass fires, range fires, ground fires or crown fires.
Wildland Fires
Wildland fires include wildfires and those fires intentionally set or allowed to burn according to a recognized land management plan and are commonly referred to as prescribed fires or controlled burns.
Wildland-Urban Interface Fires
These are wildfires that burn or threaten to burn buildings and other structures.
Wildfire Mitigation
Wildfire mitigation are activities designed to reduce or eliminate risks of wildfire to people or property by reducing the actual or potential effects, or consequences of a wildfire.
Wildland Fire Management
Wildland fire management are those activities related to wildfire mitigation and the use of prescribed fire to accomplish ecological goals.
Wildland Fire Management in New York
New York state is 30.2 million acres in size with 18.9 million acres of non-federal forested lands. These forests support destructive and deadly wildfires when weather conditions are favorable for fire to spread. In addition, there is an undetermined amount of open-space non-forested lands with significant wildfire potential. The wetlands of western New York State and New York City frequently burn as weather conditions allow. These fires are not only spectacular in their intensity but quite often threaten nearby homes, businesses or improvements, thereby becoming a wildland-urban interface fire. Forest and wildlife managers use prescribed fire to burn wildlands in order to accomplish specific management goals. These fires are regulated by law and regulation and require technical expertise to conduct the burns safely.
New York's Wildfire History
In the last exceptionally dry fire season of 2002, forest rangers responded to 324 wildfires throughout the state, burning a total of 2,062 acres. In historical contrast, the similarly dry weather of 1903 spawned over 643 fires which burned 464,000 acres in the Adirondack and Catskill Parks alone. The difference from 1903 to 2002 is a direct result of 100 years of Forest Ranger efforts, working to prevent wildfires and improve fire control response.
Forest rangers respond to approximately 3% of all wildfires in the state. More than 1,700 fire departments respond to an average of 6,000 wildfires each year.
More about Forest Fires:
- Fire Danger Map - a map of NYS showing the level of fire danger by region
- FIREWISE New York - Prepare and protect your home and community from wildland fires.
- Wildfire Mitigation in New York - New York State Forest Rangers Fire Management Report
- New York State Wildland Fire Protection Areas - Map displaying fire towns and fire districts of New York State
- Wildland Fires & Acres Burned in New York State - Table showing historical data of wildland fires in New York State from 1920-2011
- Map of Wildfire Occurences by Town and Fire Danger Rating Area 1987-2011 - a map of nys showing the wildfire occurence by town and fire danger rating areas from 1987 to 2011
- Map of 2010 Wildland Fire Protection Areas - map of NYS showing the wildland fire protection areas, including fire districts, fire towns, state park lands, under statutory authority
- Wildland Fire Related Links - Offsite links related to wildland fire management
- Prescribed Fire Plans on Long Island - Prescribed Fire on Long Island
