Burn ban upcoming for New York

Burn ban upcoming for New York

FINGER LAKES--According to officials at the state Department of Environmental Conservation, the brush burning ban for 2020 is expected to run from March 16 through May 14. While an official announcement detailing the timeline of the brush ban has yet to be issued, DEC officials said they expect it will come out soon and be similar to 2019.
"While many people associate wildfires with the western United States, the start of spring weather and the potential for dry conditions increases the risk for wildfires in New York," Basil Seggos, commissioner of the DEC previously said.
According to the DEC, open burning of debris has been the largest single cause of spring wildfires in New York state. Fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation, wildfires can start and spread easily as temperatures rise and the previous fall's debris such as dead grass and leaves dry out providing abundant fuel.
"New York prohibits residential burning during the coming high-risk fire season to reduce wildfires and protect people, property, and natural resources. The ban has been extremely effective in reducing the number of wildfires, and we're encouraging New Yorkers to put safety first," Seggos has said.
New York enacted strict restrictions on open burning in 2009 in an effort to prevent wildfires. According to the DEC, in the first eight years the ban was established, the number of spring fires decreased 42.6 percent from 2,649 in 2009 to 1,521 in 2018.
According to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Commerce the national annual cost of wildfires range anywhere from $71.1 to $347.8 billion.
Outside the timeframe of the brush ban, state regulations allow residential brush fires in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents during most of the year. However, violators of the state's brush burn ban are subject to both criminal and civil enforcement actions, with a minimum fine of $500 for a first offense.
The DEC asks anyone with information regarding brush burn ban violations to call them at 1-800-TIPP-DEC (1-800-847-7332), or notify them online at https://www.dec.ny.gov/regulations/67751.html.