Nov. 12 – Gov. Kathy Hochul provided an update Tuesday on the wildfires in eastern New York state.
According to a news release from her office, Hochul has deployed a multi-agency response to fires in Orange and Ulster counties, working closely with local fire departments and first responders.
Aerial surveys show that the Jennings Creek/Sterling State Park wildfire, which is in both New York and New Jersey, covers 5,000 acres, half of which is in New York, and 10% in both states. The fire in the town of Denning in Ulster County is 95% contained within a 630-acre area, the release said.
Hochul also announced a statewide fire ban until November 30, due to an increased fire risk as the state continues to experience drought. The burn ban statewide prohibits lighting outdoor fires for clearing brush and debris, as well as unattended campfires, recreational fires and open fires used for cooking. Fire pits in the backyard and closed campfires with a height of less than one meter and a length, width or diameter of one meter are permitted, as well as small, enclosed cooking fires.
“I am incredibly grateful to the first responders and those on the front lines who are working around the clock to stop the spread of these fires to protect their fellow New Yorkers,” Hochul said. “As we experience drought and increased fire risk across the state, this is not the right time to be burning outdoors, and I urge everyone to heed our warnings as we continue to take the necessary precautions to to protect all New Yorkers.”
From 2007 to 2023, New York State averaged 117 wildfires per year, burning an average of 1,400 acres per year. The wildfire at Jennings Creek-Sterling Forest State Park in the city of Warwick, Orange County, replaces the amount of acreage burned by wildfires in 14 of the 17 years of available data, according to the National Interagency Fire Center in New York State. In 2008, the Overlooks Fire in the city of Rochester, Ulster County, burned 2,855 acres. The largest wildfire to occur in New York State was the Adirondack Fire of 1903, which lasted six weeks and burned an area of 600,000 acres, according to the publication.
Resources from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, State Police, State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Division of Military and Naval Affairs and Department of Transportation have been mobilized to assist local firefighters in their efforts , the release said.
Recent dry conditions result in a “high” fire danger for the Hudson Valley, Catskills, Long Island, Upper Hudson Valley/Champlain and St. Lawrence Fire Danger Rating Areas, the release said. A high fire hazard means that all fine, dead fuels ignite easily and fires are easily started from most causes, including unattended brush and campfires. The current fire hazard map is available on the DEC website. Northern regions were higher on Tuesday due to expected gusty winds and lower relative humidity forecast during the existing extended dry period. Any significant rainfall over the weekend did not occur across the entire area. Although winds are expected to decrease after today, dry conditions are expected to persist until the next weather system is expected later this week.
According to the news release, fires can become serious and are difficult to control unless they are successfully attacked while they are still small. Burning trash or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York State and several municipalities currently have burning bans in effect.
