Burn ban in effect till May

Burn ban in effect till May

This photo provided by the New York Air National Guard shows smoke from the fires in the Pine Barrens off Sunrise Highway in New York's Long Island, on Saturday, March 8, 2025. (Cheran Campbell/New York Air National Guard via AP)

New York State has implements statewide burn ban now through May 14.

The state Department of Environmental Conservation says springtime is when most wildfires occur in New York.

Over the next two months, residents are urged to try to avoid any open flames outdoors. Violators of the ban could be hit with a $500 fine.