A burn ban through May 14th starts Sunday.
New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation says wildfires can be costly to communities.
Speaking at the Albany Pine Bush Friday, Acting Commissioner Amanda Lefton says if a fire becomes untamable, you should call for help immediately.
“If there is a fire, keep your fire contained, right? That's we want to make sure that we're having small bonfires that are contained, not letting that get out of control,” Lefton said. “But if a fire does get out of control, they should call their emergency services immediately to help respond to that fire.”
Region 4 Lieutenant Tyler Mitchell, a Forest Ranger, says thousands of acres are burned each year by wildfires. Mitchell says since the start of the year, the DEC has contained 19 wildfires that burned more than 500 acres. He says people should not burn debris.
Not all fires are against the rules, however.
“Backyard fires in an enclosed fire pit. You know, any cooking fires, small cooking fires, those types of fires are allowed during the burn ban. You can't burn brush during the burn ban, which is one of our primary sources of wildfire during the spring time,” Mitchell said.
Officials also encouraged people to clear all flammable materials within three feet of any fire and to never leave fires unattended.
Anyone who burns during the ban is subject to a misdemeanor offense with a minimum fine of $500.