Authorities are seeking information from the public regarding five forest fires that burned 167 acres in the Long Island Pine Barrens since mid-April.
The fires occurred on federal, state, county and private lands in Brookhaven and Riverhead towns, according to a press release from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
State DEC forest rangers are working with Suffolk County, Brookhaven and Riverhead fire marshals and Brookhaven National Lab firefighters to deploy new technologies to investigate the potential source/s of these incidents, according to the press release.
Anyone with knowledge of these fires is asked to contact DEC’s Office of Public Protection at (518) 408-5858.
Besides damaging habitat, uncontrolled fires have the potential to impact nearby residences and pose a risk to volunteer firefighters, the DEC said.
For more information on preventing wildfires, visit DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/58519.html .
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