Ongoing dry conditions, fallen leaves and illegally burning led to the outbreak of multiple wildfires across New York State from Orange to Essex to Onondaga Counties this past week.
One fire of nearly 40 acres is still burning near Piseco Lake in the Adirondacks.
Although the current Fire Danger is MODERATE across the State, drought conditions remain with much of the state now in a Moderate Drought and portions now in a Severe Drought. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued a statewide burn ban which remains in effect.
On September 30 at about 2:45 pm, a New York State Department of Transportation employee contacted NYS Forest Ranger Laymon about seeing smoke in a wooded area in the Town of Hartwick, Otsego County.
Ranger Laymon located the 0.25-acre fire of burning leaf litter. By 4:15 pm, he had controlled the fire and the following day, the fire was declared out.
On October 1 at about 12:40 pm, New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) Park Ranger Lieutenant Cahill reported a 0.7-acre fire on federal land adjacent to Sterling Forest State Park in the Town of Tuxedo, Orange County.
Forest Rangers Franke and Russo responded with Park Rangers, Park Police, the Orange County Emergency Coordinator, and the Monroe, Sloatsburg, and Tuxedo Fire Departments.
After several hours of working on the fire, Rangers Horn and Sweeney responded with a fire trailer and inflatable Ranger boat.
At about 11:20 pm, fire crews contained the fire. As of October 6th, the fire remained 85% controlled with three hot spots remaining in the interior.
Two days later, on October 3, at about 7 pm, Environmental Conservation Police Officer (ECO) Goonan contacted Forest Ranger Chappell about a fire off of Hollenbeck Road on private property in the Town of Tully, Onondaga County.
Ranger Chappell arrived to find several piles of brush burning on the farm that escaped containment. Rangers and local fire departments contained the fire and declared it out two days later. Rangers ticketed the farm’s owner for leaving a fire unattended.
On October 5 at about 4:45 pm, two civilians contacted Ray Brook Dispatch about a wildland fire in the Piseco Lake area in the Town of Arieta, Hamilton County. One of the civilians, a DEC employee, flew a drone to get an exact location of the fire.
Ten Rangers, the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Department, Speculator EMS, and the Lake Pleasant, Piseco, and Specular Fire Departments responded to the 37-acre fire.
Fire crews are still working to contain that fire.
Photo of Piseco Lake fire provided by DEC.
Source link
