Orange County Enacts Burn Ban Amid Dry Weather

A helicopter responds to a fire in the town of Deerpark in Orange County, N.Y., on April 14, 2023. Courtesy of Huguenot Fire Department

Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus issued an executive order on Oct. 28 prohibiting certain burning activities to prevent wildfires.

“The beautiful, dry weather we have been enjoying comes with a consequence,” Neuhaus said in a statement. “Over the past week, there have been numerous brush fires in the region.

“These fires endanger the public and our first responders, and we must do what we can to mitigate these dangers while conditions remain ripe for fire to spread.”

According to the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation’s wildfire predictive services, Orange County has a high-risk rating for fire dangers as of Oct. 30.

The National Integrated Drought Information System considers Orange County “abnormally dry.” This past September was the eighth driest for the county over the past 130 years.

The executive order prohibits almost all outdoor burning activities except those expressly authorized by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), including the burning of yard waste and household paper products, bonfires, campfires, and warming fires. Outdoor fireplaces and chimneys are also banned.

Two exceptions include burning activities in the training of firefighters and outdoor cooking in a contained gas or charcoal grill, according to the order.

Under state laws, the executive ban will remain effective for 30 days and can be extended for an additional 30 days; it can also be rescinded at an earlier date when deemed unnecessary.

Violations of the executive order are Class B misdemeanors per state laws.

Open burning is the single greatest cause of wildfires in New York state, according to the DEC.

Each year, New York enacts a statewide burn ban between March 16 and May 14, during which most wildfires occur in the state.

Last April, the town of Deerpark saw one of the largest wildfires in recent history. The fire was sparked by debris burning by a Shin Hollow Road resident on a dry morning.

The fire burned for three days, destroying 350 acres, and was extinguished after around-the-clock responses from 40 fire departments in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

According to the DEC, open debris burning is the single largest cause of spring wildfires in the state. Wildfires can start and spread quickly with dried debris and leaves from the past fall in warm temperatures, further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation.

The DEC suggests that New York residents check for fire danger levels in their local areas through the agency’s online rating map before planning a fire.

To report a wildfire, call 1-833-NYS-Rangers (1-833-697-7264) or contact a forest ranger in your area.