Red Flag Warnings Are Going Up All Over New York State

Autumn is well underway in the Empire State, and as the region inches closer to winter, we're not seeing the weather conditions that we are used to seeing at this time of year. Considering that the National Weather Service recently said that we shouldn't expect to see any wintery weather anytime soon, which is impacting New York that some people aren't expecting.

Believe it or not, New York State has a lot of forest and woodlands. In fact, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, more than 60% of the state is forested. The Empire State boasts over 30 million acres of land, and forest and woodlands cover more than 18 million acres of the state.

Current weather conditions have officials all over the state worried about wildfires, and Red Flag Warnings are being issued across the state.

What Is A Red Flag Warning

According to the National Weather Service, a red flag warning is when warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.

With New York having much milder weather than we normally have for November, this risk is increased all over the state.

Wildfires are burning in parts of New York and New Jersey, and conditions do not look like improving anytime soon.

The Jennings Creek wildfire has burned thousands of acres of land in New York. Firefighters in the Northeast are working hard to control the fires.

The red flag warnings that have been issued by New York State cover parts of the Southern Tier and Mohawk Valley regions of the state. If you live in these areas, there are things that you can do to help reduce the risk of fires sparking. Taking steps like these below will go a long way to help:

• Make sure your burn barrels are covered.
• Do not throw cigarettes or matches out of moving vehicles. Doing so can ignite dry grass on the side of the road and become a wildfire.
• Plus, outdoor fires can be adequately extinguished by drowning them with plenty of water and stringing them to make sure everything is cold to the touch.
  • Also, dunking charcoal in water until cold.
  • Don't throw live charcoal on the ground and leave it.
• Remember never to leave a fire unattended because sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.