Forest rangers with state Department of Environmental Conservation responded to a reported ground fire in southeastern St. Lawrence County this past week.

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Illegal fire extinguished in Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest

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PIERCEFIELD — On Sept. 24 at 10:40 a.m., DEC lands and forests staff alerted Ray Brook dispatch to a ground fire on the Bridge Brook trail in the Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest. Forest rangers quickly got the 180-square-foot fire under control. No information on which rangers responded was provided. Rangers said the fire was caused by an unextinguished campfire at an illegal site near the pond. Resources were clear at 1:45 p.m.

The Horseshoe Lake Wild Forest borders the southwestern shore of Tupper Lake and extends west, encompassing Horseshoe Lake. Campfires should never be started at an illegal site, and even when burning legally, people should always be sure to properly extinguish their fire before abandoning the burn area.

This includes thoroughly drowning the fire with water, then mixing the ashes with the soil, and adding more water while mixing. People should ensure that any partially burned sticks or logs do not have embers on or inside of them. The burn area should feel completely cool to the touch. If there are still elevated levels of heat, more water should be added. Finally, people should scan their entire campsite area for any embers or sparks that may have drifted from the fire, according to the U.S. Forest Service.