In 2025, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers conducted 362 search and rescue missions, extinguished 202 wildfires covering 840 acres, participated in 68 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate 1,649 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in more than 1,100 tickets and arrests.
Also in 2025, 41 Forest Rangers were deployed to fire assignments in 10 different states.
In 2024, Rangers also conducted 362 search and rescue missions, extinguished 122 wildfires covering nearly 6,500 acres, participated in 60 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,155 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in more than 1,200 tickets and arrests.
In 2023 Forest Rangers conducted 370 search and rescue missions, extinguished 146 wildfires covering nearly 1,400 acres, participated in 52 prescribed fires that served to rejuvenate more than 1,000 acres of land, and worked on cases that resulted in hundreds of tickets and arrests.
In 2022, Forest Rangers conducted 359 search and rescue missions, extinguished 162 wildfires covering more than 1,300 acres, participated in 53 prescribed fires on 900 acres of land.
In 2021, Forest Rangers conducted 426 search and rescue missions.
Read about Forest Ranger missions here.
Photo of Forest Ranger Lewis carrying a hiker to a helicopter during a Nippletop Mountain rescue on July 29, 2025.
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