Putnam County Sheriff Kevin J. McConville reports that two county residents have received summons' for having open burns in violation of the Governor's Executive Order.
On November 17, 2024, at approximately 5:10 pm a deputy was dispatched to a residence in the Town of Southeast for a report of a possible brush fire. Deputies observed a fire burning of what appeared to be construction material in the rear yard of a residence on Nichols Rd. The Brewster Fire Department was on scene and extinguished the fire. The resident, Ramiro Guzman-Oliveros, 46 years of age was issued an appearance ticket for being in violation of the ban on open burning during this exceptional drought period and was directed to appear in the Town of Southeast Court at a future date.
Approximately two and a half hours later a deputy was dispatched to Laurel Rd. in the Town of Putnam Valley for another open burn call. Upon deputies' arrival, the Putnam Valley Fire Department had just cleared the scene after extinguishing the fire in an outdoor open burn pit. The resident, 46-year-old Fabian Sanchez, who stated that he was burning wood and was not aware of the ban, was issued an appearance ticket for the Putnam Valley Town Court.
The Sheriff reminds all residents of the current burn ban on both the state and county levels and the potential danger of open fires.
