DEC Forest Rangers - Week in Review

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) 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.

"Whether they are leading complex search and rescue incidents, suppressing wildfires, enforcing laws on State lands and easements, inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards, or encouraging responsible recreation, Forest Rangers stand ready to help when called," DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Maharsaid. "Forest Rangers' wide-ranging expertise and collaboration with local, State, and federal partners are instrumental in protecting New York's public lands and the many visitors who use them."

Town of North Hudson
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 23 at 9 p.m., Ray Brook Dispatch received a call from Essex County 911 about a hiker in distress on the Hunters Pass trail. The 32-year-old hiker had injured her knee, and her flashlight was dying. Forest Rangers reached the subject at 11 p.m. and walked her back to the trailhead.

Town of Keene
Essex County
Wilderness Rescue: On April 25 at 2:50 p.m., Forest Rangers DuChene and Foutch responded to a call from a hiker who was lost approximately two miles from the road. Rangers reached the trail at 6:39 p.m., but there was no sign of the hiker. After checking the north and south forks of the Bouquet River, three additional Rangers joined the search. At 9:43 p.m., Rangers located the subject, warmed her, and escorted her out. Resources were clear at 12:25 a.m.

City of Albany, Towns of Big Flats, Brookhaven, Hornby, and Walkill
Albany, Chemung, Steuben, Suffolk, and Ulster Counties
Prescribed Fires:

• On April 22, Forest Rangers joined staff and volunteers from DEC's Divisions of Lands and Forests and Fish and Wildlife, along with Fire Wardens, to conduct a prescribed fire on five acres in the West Hill State Forest, Steuben County. On the same day, five Forest Rangers joined staff and volunteers from DEC's Divisions of Lands and Forests and Fish and Wildlife, and Albany Pine Bush staff to conduct a prescribed fire on 200 acres in the Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge, Ulster County.
• On April 25, seven Forest Rangers joined staff and volunteers from DEC's Division of Lands and Forests, Central Pine Barrens Commission, and Brookhaven National Lab to conduct a prescribed fire on 26 acres in the Otis Pike Pine Barrens State Forest, Suffolk County.
• On April 26, Forest Ranger Gullen joined Albany Pine Bush staff and volunteers to conduct a prescribed fire on 14 acres in the Albany Pine Bush. On the same day, five Forest Rangers joined staff and volunteers from DEC's Division of Lands and Forests, Fire Wardens, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) staff to conduct a prescribed fire on 10 acres in the USDA Plant and Material Center, Chemung County. Also, on April 26, seven Forest Rangers joined staff and volunteers from DEC's Division of Lands and Forests, Central Pine Barrens Commission staff, and The Nature Conservancy to conduct a prescribed fire on 6.6 acres in the David A. Sarnoff Pine Barrens State Forest, Suffolk County.

Prescribed fire is an important land management tool used to improve habitat for lands and wildlife. These burns are regulated by law and regulation and require technical expertise to conduct safely. Controlled burns help prevent the spread of invasive species, and in some areas, prescribed fire is also used to reduce the buildup of wood, timber litter, and other hazards that fuel fires in order to reduce the potential for wildfires that threaten public safety and critical infrastructure. DEC carefully and responsibly implements prescribed fires only when conditions are favorable to meet land management goals.

Ranger Gallagher at David A. Sarnoff Pine Barrens State Forest prescribed fire

David A. Sarnoff Pine Barrens State Forest prescribed fire

Town of Hebron
Washington County
Wildland Fire: On April 28 at 4:27 p.m., Forest Ranger Clute responded to assist local fire departments with a brush fire on Higgins Road. The fire was caused by a campfire that got out of control and grew to 3.7 acres before being contained.

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.

If a person needs a Forest Ranger, whether it's for a search and rescue, to report a wildfire, or to report illegal activity on state lands and easements, they should call 833-NYS-RANGERS. If a person needs urgent assistance, they can 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.

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