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.

Towns of Guilderland, Moreau, and Southampton
Guilderland, Saratoga, and Suffolk Counties
Prescribed Fires: On May 18, Forest Rangers joined DEC staff from the Divisions of Fish and Wildlife and Lands and Forests, Brookhaven National Lab, and the Central Pine Barrens Commission to conduct a controlled burn of seven acres of the Sarnoff Pine Barrens State Forest in Southampton.

On May 21, Forest Rangers joined DEC staff from the Division of Lands and Forests and staff from the Albany Pine Bush to conduct a controlled burn of 28 acres of the Albany Pine Bush in Guilderland.

Also on May 21, Forest Rangers joined staff from DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests and State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation to conduct a controlled burn of 29 acres of Big Bend Preserve in Moreau.

Prescribed fire is an important land management tool used to improve habitat for lands and wildlife.

DEC recently announced the beginning of prescribed fire season. 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.

Albany Pine Bush prescribed burn

Albany Pine Bush prescribed burn crew

Prescribed burn in Moreau

Prescribed burn in Moreau

Town of Gardiner
Ulster County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 21 at 3:50 p.m., Ulster County 911 reported a climber fell 30 feet while climbing the Arrow Wall in Mohonk Preserve. Forest Ranger Rusher was on the property with Mohonk Park Rangers at the time. They responded with New Paltz Rescue Squad, Gardiner Fire Department, and New York State Police. The 53-year-old from Massachusetts suffered injuries to the spine and pelvis. Rescuers determined a rope rescue was the safest way to evacuate the subject. It was a 40-degree slope 100 feet above the carriage road and continued down rocky steps for another 150 feet. After the carryout, a Mohonk Park Ranger drove the climber to an ambulance that transported them to MidHudson Regional Hospital. Resources were clear at 5:40 p.m.

Mohonk Preserve rescue

Mohonk Preserve rescue

Town of Bombay
Franklin County
Wildland Fire: On May 22 at 1:30 p.m., Franklin County requested Forest Ranger assistance for a wildland fire on County Route 2. Rangers and the Bombay, Dickenson, Fort Covington, and Hogansburg Fire Departments responded. There were nearly 20 debris piles burning more than 66 acres. With the help of water-filled drainage ditches, by 8:55 p.m. fire crews contained the fire. DEC Operations staff used an excavator, while fire crews used ATVs and portable pumps to continue breaking up and putting out hot spots. The fire was caused by burning a large debris pile of stumps.

Bombay fire

Bombay fire

Town of Caroga
Fulton County
Wilderness Rescue: On May 22 at 2 p.m., Fulton County requested Forest Ranger assistance with a hiker who suffered a lower leg injury at the Kane Mountain fire tower. Rangers Hamm and O’Connell responded with St. Johnsville EMS and the Caroga Lake Fire Department. Rescuers used a wheeled litter to transport the 28-year-old to the trailhead. The subject then drove to the hospital. Resources were clear at 4:44 p.m.

Town of Almond
Allegany County
Law Enforcement: On May 25, Forest Rangers conducted an ATV/UTV detail at Klipnocky State Forest to curtail recent illegal ATV/UTV use. The vehicles are not authorized on State lands in DEC’s Region 9 and UTVs are not authorized on any public highways. Rangers issued nine tickets for illegal UTV use.

ATV/UTV enforcement

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.