Rangers Extinguish Four Wildfires Across New York
Forest rangers put out four wildfires covering 23.5 acres, one fueled by burning junk mail in Burdett.
Updated on Nov. 14, 2026 in Accidents
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New York State Department of Environmental Conservation forest rangers helped extinguish four wildfires covering 23.5 acres. Rangers have extinguished 93 wildfires covering more than 224 acres during the first nine months of 2026.
Why it matters
Wildfires sparked by unattended fires and debris burning can spread quickly into wooded land and destroy property, as seen when a fire destroyed an unoccupied vehicle in the Phoenicia Mount Tobias Wild Forest. The recurring cases highlight how everyday burning practices across New York's woodlands can turn into costly and dangerous emergencies.
Rangers declared the Burdett fire out on November 7, and the Phoenicia Mount Tobias fire was contained by 7:30 p.m. on November 4. The extraction does not indicate whether any landowner or individual has been charged in connection with the fires.
The players
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
The state agency responsible for managing New York's environment, forests and natural resources, including its forest ranger wildfire response teams.
The details
The Union Vale wildfire started in a fire pit, spread to a shed, and then moved into the woods on November 2, and two rangers and three fire departments put it out within four hours. The Burdett wildfire was sparked when a landowner burned junk mail in a firepit in the woods, growing to 4.9 acres before rangers declared it out on November 7.
Timeline
First nine months of 2026: Rangers extinguished 93 wildfires covering more than 224 acres.
November 2, 2026: Union Vale and Wirt wildfires occurred.
November 4, 2026: Phoenicia Mount Tobias and Burdett wildfires occurred.
November 7, 2026: Burdett wildfire was declared out.
Seasonal Patterns
The four fires add to the 93 wildfires that New York forest rangers have extinguished this year, placing the late-autumn cluster within a wider 2026 pattern of ranger-led suppression across the state's woodlands. Rangers also conducted a 10-acre controlled burn in the Albany Pine Bush, a practice used to reduce the fuel that feeds wildfires.
Residents who burn debris or leave fires unattended in wooded areas risk starting wildfires that can spread to sheds, vehicles and nearby forest land. Hikers and outdoor visitors should also be prepared for injuries and rescues in remote terrain, as a 58-year-old Queensbury hiker severely injured an ankle near Buck Mountain on November 7.
The takeaway
Most of these fires were started by ordinary activities such as bonfires, fire pits and burning junk mail, so keeping fires attended and fully extinguished is the simplest way to prevent them. Check local fire and burn rules before lighting any outdoor fire in wooded areas.
Further reading
For more on similar incidents, browse recent Accidents coverage across New York.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Syracuse.
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