Were it not for the rapid response of the Westbrookville Volunteer Fire Company earlier this month, this structure would likely have gone up in flames due to a brush fire that was so perilously close, it melted the building’s siding. (Photo from the Westbrookville Volunteer Fire Company’s Facebook page)
Monticello, NY – With departments across the region scrambling to contain 31 brush fires in just the last month, Sullivan County Fire Coordinator John Hauschild is re-emphasizing the fact that a burn ban is in effect through May 14.
“The snow is gone and temperatures are rising, but vegetation is still dry and easily set aflame by sparks and ash – which is exactly how every one of these brush fires was ignited,” he explained. “There is a statewide ban on open burning through mid-May, and I cannot stress enough the need to follow it – no exceptions.”
For details on the burn ban, visit the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/58519.html.