A 13-acre controlled burn at Albany Pine Bush brought together forest rangers, state land managers, parks staff and the New York Air National Guard on Oct. 10.
The burn also involved Albany Pine Bush staff and the DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests, according to the Department of Environmental Conservation’s report, released Thursday.
Prescribed fire is used to improve habitat and help control invasive species. In some areas, it also reduces accumulated wood, timber litter and other material that can fuel wildfires threatening people and infrastructure.
The DEC said the burns are regulated and require technical expertise. The department conducts them when conditions support safety and the intended land-management goals.
During the first nine months of 2026, forest rangers participated in 54 prescribed fires covering 1,355 acres statewide. The department separately reported 68 prescribed fires covering 1,649 acres for all of 2025.
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