Forest rangers battle 20-acrew fire in Hamilton
On Feb. 26, 2024, forest rangers responded to a fire caused by debris burning in the town of Hamilton that was more than 20 acres in size. To date, the winter season has not provided typical snow cover across much of New York state, leaving dormant vegetation from last year’s growing season exposed and susceptible to the daily fluctuations of spring weather.
To help prevent fires, the DEC is advocating extra vigilance before the statewide burn ban goes into effect March 16.
Forest rangers respond to search-and-rescue incidents statewide. Working with other state agencies, local emergency response organizations and volunteer search-and-rescue groups, forest rangers locate and extract lost, injured or distressed people from across New York state. In 2023, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 370 search-and-rescue missions, extinguished 146 wildfires covering nearly 1,400 acres, participated in 52 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,000 acres of land and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.
“DEC forest rangers are among the nation’s most versatile first-responders, utilizing their expert training and wide-ranging knowledge to protect natural resources, while encouraging responsible stewardship among those who visit state lands and sites,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “Their expertise in wildland fire suppression, technical rescue techniques and law enforcement mean that rangers are always prepared to successfully execute critical missions, here in New York, as well as across the continent.”
The DEC urges people to be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s Hike Smart NY, Adirondack Backcountry Information and Catskill Backcountry Information webpages for more information.
Those needing a forest ranger, whether for a search-and-rescue, to report a wildfire or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. Those needing urgent assistance should call 911. To contact a forest ranger for information about a specific location, the DEC website has phone numbers for every ranger, listed by region at on.ny.gov/NYSForestRangerRoster.