The annual burn ban is still in effect until May 14th in New York State. Some may question: then why is the Department of Environmental Conservation lighting prescribed fires? The short answer is that wildfires are dangerous out-of control fires typically caused by humans accidentally – it doesn’t take long for an unattended fire to spread into an uncontrolled wildfire. Prescribed fires however, are carefully planned and executed by trained professionals.
During the burn ban period, burning residential brush and yard debris in towns with a total population of less than 20,000 residents is prohibited due to the heightened risk of wildfires.