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The current dry conditions have caused numerous brush fires throughout the county and have led New York State to issue a high fire danger warning for Westchester, according to County Executive George Latimer.
The high risk for brush fires is caused by dry conditions, strong winds, and low relative humidity, which particularly affects parks and wooded areas in the county.
Places where large brush fires have occurred in the past few days include Saxon Woods Park in Scarsdale and White Plains, Cortlandt, Greenburgh, Harrison, Lewisboro, Mount Pleasant, New Rochelle, North Castle, North Salem, Ossining, and Pelham Manor, county officials said.
As a preventative measure, a statewide outdoor burn ban is in effect through Sunday, May 14, as the risk of outdoor fires is usually highest in the spring.
To further prevent more fires from happening, Latimer gave residents the following tips:
- Limit the size of campfires and never leave one unattended. Residents should also make sure they are fully extinguished before leaving the campsite;
- Do not burn tree limbs or other organic debris while a burn ban is in place;
- Safely dispose of any charcoal used in a grill or ashes from wood burning in a fireplace;
- Put out cigarettes and other lightened materials safely and do not drop them in a wooded or grassy area;
- If you observe any smoke or a fire in a park or wooded area, call 911 immediately.
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