On Tuesday February 14th at approximately 12:00 PM, a series of small brush fires broke out along the northern border of Black Rock Forest. BRF staff assisted local fire crews to quickly contain and extinguish the brush fires. The close proximity of the fires to route 9W, Peck’s, and Reservoir Road allowed for quick and effective access by emergency personnel. The cause of the fires are unknown. Special thanks to the emergency responders and fire departments for their quick response and efforts!
February isn’t often considered a month with high fire risk; however current weather conditions prove otherwise. In the past two weeks, BRF environmental monitoring stations have collected a total of 0.07 inches of precipitation leading up to the brush fires. The lack of precipitation combined with an absence of snow cover on the forest floor means unseasonably dry conditions. An abundance of dry fuel at the forest floor combined with high winds and low humidity create the perfect recipe for fires. It doesn’t take much to start a fire in dry conditions, and fire can spread extremely quickly.
We would like to remind all visitors that fires of any type are never permitted in Black Rock Forest. This includes smoking, campfires, jet stoves, propane heaters and BBQ grills. In the event that you do encounter a fire in Black Rock Forest, please contact the Forest Manager (914-755-2348) and 911 immediately with the size, location, and type of the fire.
