A statewide ban on residential brush burning is now in effect through May 14.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation has enforced the annual burn ban since 2009. The point is to prevent wildfires at a time when the risk is heightened.
According to the DEC, while some areas of the state are still damp or covered in snow, the warming weather can quickly create wildfire conditions.
"Open burning of debris is the single-largest cause of spring wildfires in New York state," according to the DEC. "When temperatures warm and the past fall's debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily, further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation."
Back in April 2019, a brush fire in Victor spread to engulf 30 acres of ground cover.
The DEC said backyard fire pits and campfires must be less than three feet high and four feet wide. Small cooking fires also are permitted.
