NY Park Rangers Assisted with Wildfires in Putnam, Orange Counties

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers responded to wildfires in Putnam and Orange counties recently. It took two days to get one of them, apparently started by kids, extinguished.

In 2016, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 356 search and rescue missions, extinguished 185 wildfires that burned a total of 4,191 acres, and worked on cases that resulted in nearly 3,000 tickets or arrests.

“Across New York, DEC Forest Rangers are on the front lines helping people safely enjoy the great outdoors,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Their knowledge of first aid, land navigation, and technical rescue techniques are critical to the success of their missions, which take them from remote wilderness areas, with rugged mountain peaks, to white-water rivers, and throughout our vast forested areas statewide.”

Recent missions carried out by DEC Forest Rangers include:

Putnam County

Town of Kent
Wildfire: On April 17, Forest Rangers assisted Putnam County fire departments to contain a remote five-acre wildfire near China Pond. The fire, which appears to have been started by juveniles, ignited standing and fallen dead trees, making complete extinguishment difficult. It took two additional days of firefighting to declare the fire out.

Orange County

Town of Deerpark
Wildfire: On April 19, Forest Ranger Peter Morehouse assisted local fire departments to control a 2.5-acre wildfire likely caused by a campfire left burning and unattended. Within an hour, the fire was contained but required further patrol throughout the afternoon before it was declared out.

New York State has a burn ban in effect through May 14, and DEC posts a fire danger map on its website daily.

Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations, and volunteer search and rescue groups, Forest Rangers also locate and extract lost, injured, or distressed people from the backcountry.