Empire State Today

Forest Ranger ‘Crew Boss’ Returns from Nova Scotia 

Governor Kathy Hochul on June 26 welcomed home New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers who spent two weeks battling wildfires in Canada. The first Forest Ranger returned last week after 14 days in Nova Scotia, where he served as Crew Boss to a wildland firefighting team assigned to the Barrington Fire Complex, which burned approximately 58,100 acres. Seven Forest Rangers returned on Sunday, June 25, after spending 14 days in Quebec working on multiple fires.

"We are all too familiar with the wildfires in Canada this month, but we’re fortunate to have brave men and women ready to mobilize to where help is needed the most,” Governor Hochul said. “New York’s Forest Rangers spent two weeks in harm’s way separated from friends and family to help protect our neighbors in the north, and I thank them for their service.”

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "New York’s wildland firefighters have been supporting efforts to fight wildland fires across the country and beyond for more than 40 years. When there is a crisis, DEC Forest Rangers answer the call. Oftentimes, it’s out west, but in this case, it was for our neighbors to the north. As experts in incident command, DEC Forest Rangers often lead dozens of firefighters in the daunting task of containing a wildfire. I thank them for their dedication and sacrifice always."

Returning home are:

June 18 from Nova Scotia

Arthur Perryman II – Warren County

June 25 from Quebec

Matthew Adams – Essex and Franklin Counties

Anastasia Allwine – Greene County

Chester Lunt – Cayuga, Cortland, and Onondaga Counties

Christopher Pelrah – Herkimer and Oneida Counties

Robert Praczkajlo – Essex and Franklin Counties

William Roberts – Chemung, Schuyler, and Seneca Counties

Howard Thomes – Jefferson and Lewis Counties

Throughout Canada, more than 2,600 fires have burned an estimated 13 million acres. The first wildfire in Nova Scotia this year started in April. Since then, 212 wildfires have burned more than 62,272 acres. On June 8, Governor Hochul announced that a team of seven DEC Forest Rangers was deploying to assist with efforts to help contain the wildfires in Quebec. At the same time, New York State was under an Air Quality Health Advisorydue to the smoke from those wildfires that traveled across state borders.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Department of Health (DOH) issue Air Quality Health Advisories when DEC meteorologists predict levels of pollution, such as ozone or smoke-induced fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are expected to exceed a federal Air Quality Index (AQI) value of 100. The AQI was created as an easy way to correlate levels of different pollutants to one scale, with a higher AQI value indicating a greater health concern. The latest AQI Forecast can be viewed here.

These two missions are the first time New York State Forest Rangers have been deployed to Canada since wildfires in Quebec in 2005. In 1979, New York sent its first firefighting crew to assist western states with large wildfires. On average, one or two crews are sent as needed to assist with wildfires nearly every year. In addition to helping contain wildfires and minimize damage, these crews gain valuable experience that can be utilized fighting wildfires and managing all-risk incidents in New York.

Personnel and travel expenses for the New York crews are either paid directly by the U.S. Forest Service or reimbursed to New York State based on a mutual aid agreement between states and federal land agencies.

Original source can be found here.