A burn ban is in effect across Dutchess and Columbia counties as dry, windy conditions fuel a surge in brush fires. In Dutchess County, the ban was issued this week by Gov. Kathy Hochul as part of a state order targeting areas at elevated wildfire risk. Columbia County enacted a separate, county-level ban.
While New York’s annual statewide burn ban runs from March 16 to May 14, both Dutchess and Columbia counties are already under local restrictions. Violators can face citations and fines.
Fire officials are urging residents to comply immediately. Dry conditions and high winds have fueled multiple fires in the Pine Plains area.“We have the burn ban in effect for a reason,” said Town Supervisor Brian Walsh, who also serves as chief of the Pine Plains Volunteer Fire Department. “Do not burn — it can cause major problems and damage. Fires can get out of control very quickly.”
“In the last week, I’d say we had six fires — people are burning, not paying attention, and leaving their piles unattended. We’re arriving at these scenes and there’s nobody to be found with fires burning, traveling with the wind.”
On Tuesday, March 11, a fire at 205 Johnny Cake Hollow Road scorched nearly 10 acres and required aid from neighboring departments including Stanford and Milan. Walsh estimated that it took seven hours to extinguish the blaze.
The fire ignited when “someone decided to put hot ashes from a wood boiler onto a manure pile and it spread to the brush,” Walsh said. A New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Ranger ticketed the property owner for not clearing three feet of space around the fire.
Recent incidents, including two separate brush fires on Sigler Road this week, have placed significant demands on local fire departments, which in Pine Plains and its surrounding towns are staffed entirely by volunteers. “They’re taking time away from their families and leaving work — if they’re allowed — to fight these fires,” Walsh said.
The volunteers’ commitment goes far beyond the time spent fighting fires — it includes maintaining equipment and making sure trucks are ready for the next emergency. “They have to check all the equipment, clean hoses, and make sure the trucks are ready if another call comes in,” Walsh said.
What the burn ban means
According to the DEC, the ban prohibits residential brush and debris burning, as well as uncontained outdoor fires, including recreational and cooking fires.
Exceptions include:
- Barbecue grills and similar outdoor cooking devices used for food preparation
- Contained campfires less than 3 feet high and 4 feet wide, within a fire ring or fireplace
- On-site agricultural waste burning on farms larger than 5 acres, under strict conditions
- Emergency burning of explosives or dangerous materials by public safety officials
- Prescribed burns conducted under state guidelines
For more information on the ban and wildfire prevention, visit dec.ny.gov.