By LEIGH HORNBECK , CAROL DeMARE, Staff writer Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Officials in Saratoga, Warren and Washington counties joined other Capital Region-area counties that have banned outdoor fires until further notice.
The dry conditions make outdoor fires too dangerous, Saratoga County Fire Coordinator Ed Tremblay said. The announcement gives fire fighters the ability to put out outdoor fires. People who violate the ban can be charged with a misdemeanor. Last week, a barn burned down in Corinth after a brush fire burned out of control and spread to the structure. The unusual dry weather falls at the same time people are raking their yards and burning debris that collected over the winter, Tremblay said. "Normally we don't worry about this until May, usually we have rain in April but we've had high heat and low humidity," he said. Saratoga County used its new reverse 911 system to spread the news of the ban. Reverse 911 is an automated message that goes out to every phone number in the 911 database. Meanwhile, Albany County Executive Mike Breslin has extended a burn ban through Sunday. The order banning outdoor fires and trash burning was first issued last weekend. Breslin continued the ban in light of the National Weather Service's forecast for continued dry weather and increased winds. People who intentionally set outdoor fires could face misdemeanor charges and fines. Rensselaer, Schenectady, Schoharie and Montgomery counties also have issued bans.
Weather service warns of critical fire conditions April 24, 2008 By Kathy Parker (Contact) Gazette Reporter
ALBANY — The National Weather Service in Albany has issued a red flag warning for several area counties this afternoon because of a greatly increased chance of brush fires.
Meteorologist Evan Heller said the warning will be lifted at 6 p.m., as the sun goes down in and winds are expected to die down.
"When the temperature cools off and the humidity rises, the likelihood of fire lessens," he said.
The 13 upstate counties named in the warning include Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady and Schoharie counties.
Heller said a combination of warm temperatures, low relative humidity and gusty winds create "explosive" potential for fire growth.
"It's rare in this area to have a warning continue overnight," he said. "The relative humidity value generally iWinds have gusted tncreases as the sun goes down."
o 30 mph in some areas, with temperatures in lower 70s.
Heller said it was possible a red flag warning would be issued again Friday, but not likely.
"The risk is not expected to be as high because winds will be down," he said. "We will start to see rain late Saturday, beginning with scattered showers [and] leading to a steady rain on Monday. The rain will be hitting a dry air mass in many levels, and it will be hard for it to get to the ground."
CAPITAL REGION Warning issued due to ‘explosive’ potential for fire BY KATHY PARKER Gazette Reporter
The National Weather Service in Albany issued a red flag warning for several area counties Thursday afternoon because of an increased chance of brush fires. Meteorologist Evan Heller said the warning was lifted at 6 p.m. as the sun began to go down and winds were less likely. “When the temperature cools off and the humidity rises, the likelihood of fire lessens,” he said. “It’s rare in this area to have a warning continue overnight. The relative humidity value generally increases as the sun goes down.” Winds had gusted to 30 mph in some areas Thursday afternoon with temperatures in lower 70s. The 13 upstate counties include Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady and Schoharie. Heller said a combination of warm temperatures, low relative humidity and gusty winds created an “explosive” potential for fire, according to the weather service warning. Emergency services coordinators around the region participated in a telephone conference with the National Weather Service on Wednesday, according to Saratoga County’s coordinator, Paul Lent, who said forecasters were gathering information on ground conditions around the area. “We’re all anxious for the weather to change,” he said. On Saturday, Lent’s office issued a ban on outdoor burning until further notice. All counties have since banned outdoor burning to prevent brush fires. Despite the ban, almost 18 acres burned at the Rhodes Orchard in Providence Wednes- day, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The fire was quelled Wednesday and the area was monitored through early Thursday, according to DEC spokeswoman Yancey Roy. “The only other report we have in the region [Thursday] is in White Creek, Washington County, where 55 acres burned on McKee Hollow Road,” he said. Lent said about 67,000 Saratoga County homes received telephone messages about the burn ban generated by the reverse 911 warning system on Tuesday. It was the first time the system had been activated, and Lent said it went well. In Schenectady County, Fire Coordinator John Nuzback said there were three brush fires since a burn ban was put in place on Monday. “We had one in Glenville Tuesday that burned about three acres. Wednesday night there was a small one in the Plotter Kill [Nature] Preserve [in Rotterdam] and also behind the Mabee Farm in Rotterdam Junction,” Nuzback said. He said the fire in the preserve may have been started by firecrackers that were found in the area. “It’s hard to say whether those firecrackers were from this event or had been there a while,” he said. “We don’t know the origin of the other fires but they were all put out relatively quickly.” Heller said it was possible that a red flag warning would be issued again today, but not likely. “The risk is not expected to be as high because winds will be down,” he said. “We will start to see rain late Saturday beginning with scattered showers leading to a steady rain on Monday. The rain will be hitting a dry air mass in many levels and it will be hard for it to get to the ground.”
By BRIAN NEARING, Staff writer First published in print: Thursday, May 28, 2009
ALBANY -- State officials are loosening a proposed ban on open burning to allow for the disposal of brush and small trees.
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Since the state Department of Environmental Conservation announced last year that it was looking at a ban on outdoor burning in rural areas in which it currently is allowed, the state has gotten thousands of comments, according to DEC spokeswoman Lori Severino.
"We wanted to address many comments from people concerned about the expense of removal if they were not able to burn limbs and branches," she said.
Under the proposed rules -- which would apply to 850 towns in the state with fewer than 20,000 people -- open burning could be done for downed limbs and branches less than 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet in length. Open burning would be allowed between May 15 and the following March 15...........>>>>...............>>>>...........http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=804497
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Just make sure every person in the state that burns stuff has a stock of lumber to throw on top of the fire, in case the DEC decides to drop by...All that paper in the bottom of the fire?
"Well, officer, it's pieces of branches, cut to 8 1/2 x 11 and glued together. That's under the limit...plus, I needed to use some of it (a wheelbarrow load or 2) as firestarter for the lumber!"
And how are they picking these numbers? Remember that some of the wildfires that have killed and burned out so much acreage were solely set by a person (firefighters, even) who wanted to prove that they were heroes, so they could report it and put it out themselves.
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