NYS’s Ban on Outdoor Burning will be in effect beginning tomorrow (March 16th) and remains in effect through May 14th.

Washington County, NY – Department of Public Safety Fire Coordinator Glenn Bristol said, “Every spring we see how fast a simple brush fire can turn into a dangerous wildfire. Dry grass, wind, and one spark can put our communities and our firefighters at serious risk. New York State’s annual spring Burn Ban exists to stop those fires before they start. We’re asking everyone in Washington County to respect the ban and do their part to keep our communities and our first responders safe.”

– Burning of brush or yard debris

– Open fires used to burn leaves or trash (of any kind)

– Large uncontained fires

– Small backyard fire pits (contained)

– Campfires

– Small fires for cooking

– Agricultural burns (in compliance with DEC regulations)

Have questions regarding the state’s Open Burning law? Check here first: https://dec.ny.gov/environmental…/air-quality/open-burning

Violators of the open burning state regulation are subject to both criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense. To report environmental law violations, call 1-844-DEC-ECOs (1-844-332-3267). For search and rescue, reporting a wildfire or illegal activity on state lands and easements, call 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264).

Our partners at the NYS  Department of Environmental Conservation regularly update the NYS Fire Danger maps – interested in the current Fire Danger status or looking to burn (safely and legally), check the map here (will be updated regularly as the fire weather season progresses): bit.ly/nysfiredangermaps

– Sign up for notifications with NY-Alert at https://alert.ny.gov

– Connect with us at https://linktr.ee/washconypublicsafety

#nysburnban #firesafe #firesafety