Governor Kathy Hochul has recently announced a new real-time weather data tool to help inform New Yorkers when there is an increased risk of wildfires.
State Department of Environmental Conservation and State Mesonet at the University at Albany researchers are utilizing data from the University at Albany’s statewide weather network to generate daily fire danger ratings to offer more reliable wildfire information and improve public safety.
“We’re seeing the effects of climate change in real time, with dangerous wildfire seasons across the continent year after year,” Hochul said. “We want to make sure the state has the latest tools and information to prepare for and respond to wildfires to ensure our communities and resources are protected.”
State Department of Environmental Conservation Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said, “Even before wildland fires ignite, accurate data is crucial to deploy resources and advise communities of potential dangers. DEC’s partnership with New York State Mesonet will offer enhanced and reliable wildfire information to help keep communities safe by harnessing the power of the Mesonet to increase the number of stations recording observations in each of the state’s Fire Danger Rating Areas. This data will help inform a new, easier to read map that will benefit New Yorkers when wildfire dangers arise.”
The New York State Mesonet is the nation’s most advanced and largest early warning weather detection system. It features 127 standard weather observation stations that cover the entire state, including at least one in every county and borough.
Each site measures temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, pressure, precipitation, solar radiation, snow depth, soil information and offers camera images. The data is collected in real-time every five minutes, feeding weather prediction models and decision-support tools for users across New York.
DEC’s Wildfire Predictive Services issues and updates a fire danger map that divides New York into multiple fire danger rating areas and then rates each on a wildfire risk scale from low to extreme.
The enhanced data collection helps identify the local variability of fire danger across the state, allowing community leaders, emergency managers and everyday New Yorkers to adapt their activities to prevent fires and reduce damage. It will be publicly available, offering year-round fire danger ratings and, in conjunction with DEC’s weather forecasts, other fire, weather, environmental and meteorological variables for all fire danger rating areas in New York.
Recent dry conditions across the state are resulting in a “high” fire danger. A high fire danger means all fine, dead fuels ignite readily and fires start easily from most causes, including unattended brush and campfires. Fires may become serious and controlling them difficult unless attacked successfully while still small.
The remainder of New York State is at a moderate level of fire danger. An updated fire danger map is available on the DEC website.
While the statewide burn ban is no longer in effect, brush burning should only be done when absolutely necessary. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round in New York State.
Open burning is prohibited in New York, with these exceptions, if not otherwise prohibited by law or regulation:
• Campfires or any other outdoor fires less than 3 feet in height and 4 feet in length, width or diameter.
• Small cooking fires.
• Ceremonial or celebratory bonfires.
• Disposal of flags or religious items in a small-sized fire.
Only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated or unpainted wood can be burned. Fires cannot be left unattended and must be fully extinguished afterward.
For more information about fire safety and prevention, go to the DEC’s FIREWISE New York webpage.
Staff Writer on Oct 28, 2024