Firefighters hose down a wildfire north of Tupper Lake on May 4, 2015. Fire officials said at the time they thought the blaze was caused by people burning things at a remote hunting camp, even though a statewide burn ban was on at the time and it was a dry, windy day. (Enterprise photo — Tom Salitsky)

The state Department of Environmental Conservation’s annual burn ban begins Thursday and runs through May 14 this year.

The ban was implemented as a measure to limit the number of wildfires that occur most often in the spring. The DEC said in a release that the number of wildfires has decreased 35 percent since 2009, and that open burning is the single leading cause of wildfires in New York.

“While many people associate wildfires with the western United States, the early start of spring weather, dry conditions and lack of snow pack increase the risk for wildfires in New York,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos said in the release. “New York prohibits residential burning during the high-risk fire season to reduce wildfires and protect people, property and natural resources. The ban has been extremely effective in reducing the number of wildfires, and we’re encouraging New Yorkers to put safety first.”

Campfires with charcoal or untreated firewood are allowed but should never be left unattended, according to the DEC.

For more information on wildfires, including the DEC’s Fire Danger map, visit www.dec.ny.gov/lands/4975.html.