April 02, 2026

DEC Forest Rangers – Week in Review

Recent Statewide Forest Ranger Actions

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 2025, DEC Forest Rangers conducted 362 search and rescue missions, extinguished 202 wildfires covering 840 acres, participated in 68 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate 1,649 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in more than 1,100 tickets and arrests. Also in 2025, 41 Forest Rangers were deployed to fire assignments in 10 different states.

“Our Forest Rangers are elite law enforcement leaders who put their lives on the line when they respond to a search and rescue, wildland fire, or State land violation,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “We’re fortunate to have them patrolling State lands and keeping people safe. Their expertise and professionalism are valuable assets, not only in New York, but around the country wherever emergencies arise.”

Town of Granger
Allegany County
Training: On March 19, 23, and 28, Forest Rangers instructed a Basic Wildland Fire Suppression course to 15 volunteers from the Centerville, Friendship, Houghton, and Short Tract Fire Departments at English Hill State Forest. Rangers were assisted by a DEC Fire Warden. The training included Ranger and fire department responsibilities, wildfire behavior, Incident Command System, suppression techniques, and fire line safety.

Constructing a fire line at training in English Hill State Forest

City of Albany
Albany County
Prescribed Fire: On March 25, six Forest Rangers joined staff from the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and Albany Pine Bush to conduct a controlled burn of 18 acres at the Albany Pine Bush.

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 safely conduct. Controlled burns help prevent the spread of invasive species, and in some areas, prescribed fire is used to reduce the buildup of wood, timber litter, and other fuel 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.

Last week DEC announced the beginning of prescribed fire season.

Prescribed burn at Albany Pine Bush

Town of Reading
Schuyler County
Wildland Fire: On March 25 at 3:58 p.m., Forest Ranger Richer responded to a timber litter fire near the railroad tracks off of Inwood Road. Burdett, Montour Falls, and Watkins Glen Fire Departments extinguished the fire by 5:18 p.m. The 1.5-acre fire was caused by a spark from a train passing through earlier in the day.

Village of Little Valley
Cattaraugus County
Wildland Fire: On March 26, Forest Ranger Skudlarek responded to a call for a grass fire. Cattaraugus and Little Valley Fire Departments put out the fire. The cause of the 0.1-acre fire was burning wood and rubbish. Ranger Skudlarek issued a violation to the property owner for failure to clear three feet from a fire.

The statewide residential brush burning prohibition began on March 16 and continues through May 14.

Village of Ellenville
Ulster County
Wildland Fire: On March 29 at 3 p.m., the Ulster County Fire Coordinator requested Forest Ranger assistance for a barn fire that spread to hay fields and the adjacent wooded lot. Three Rangers worked with Ellenville and Napanoch Fire Departments to extinguish the 1-acre fire.

Ellenville fire

Hamlet of Elka Park
Greene County
Wilderness Rescue: On March 29 at 8:30 p.m., Forest Ranger Seeley responded to a call for a hiker with a lower leg injury on Devil’s Path Trail in the Indian Head Wilderness. Ranger Seeley contacted the hiker and told them to stay in place near the Platte Clove Road trailhead. Ranger Seeley reached the injured hiker and transported them to their vehicle eight miles away where the subject agreed to seek medical attention on their own. Resources were clear at 9:40 p.m.

Be sure to properly prepare and plan before entering the backcountry. Visit DEC’s “ Hike Smart NY,” “ Adirondack Backcountry,” 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.

Contact for this Page Jeff Wernick
Press Office
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233

Phone: 518-402-8000 PressOffice@dec.ny.gov This Page Covers New York State