Governor Hochul Makes Big Announcement To New Yorkers

Governor Kathy Hochul recently made a big announcement about the wildfires affecting air quality in New York...

Photo byNew York MTA via Wikimedia Commons

New York Governor Kathy Hochul recently announced the deployment of a team of Department of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers to help with the containment of wildfires raging in eastern Canada.

"While we continue to monitor the haze caused by smoke from Canadian wildfires, we are fortunate to have Forest Rangers trained and ready to take on the daunting task ahead," Governor Hochul said. "New Yorkers are always at the ready to help those in need, and I thank our brave wildland firefighters whose efforts will be critical in containing these wildfires."

Hundreds of fires in Quebec triggered several days of air quality health advisories across New York State, per a press release by the Governor's office. While the situation has eased somewhat in New York, wildfires are still ranging in Canada. And since the wildfire season is far from over, it's hoped that the deployment of Environmental Conservation Forest Rangers will help to mitigate future wildfires in the coming days, weeks, and months.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos said, "DEC Forest Rangers are world-class wildland firefighters and bring a wealth of knowledge to assist our partners in Canada. Oftentimes, they're traveling out west where we only see the effects of the fire on TV. Their work will be instrumental in helping lead the firefighting efforts and we look forward to their safe return."

Governor Kathy Hochul also announced one million high-quality N95-style masks to be made available to New Yorkers to help address air quality impacts from wildfires. "Our number one priority right now is keeping New Yorkers safe," Governor Hochul said. "Prolonged exposure to this harmful air will cause negative health impacts, which is why we're making high-quality masks available at high-traffic areas across New York."

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