FIRE SAFETY SERVICE EXPLAINER — ROCKLAND
Fourteen outdoor fires have spread into Rockland homes this year. Here is the small-space checklist.
Rockland fire officials say the county has seen about twice its usual annual number of fires that began outside a home and then spread inside. The practical response is simple: move heat and fuel away from the house, stay with an active fire and make sure it is fully out before going inside.
Before the next fire pit, grill or cigarette
- Give the fire room: the U.S. Fire Administration says fire pits, chimineas and outdoor fireplaces should be at least 10 feet from the home or anything that can burn. Rockland officials also recommend keeping grills and firewood at least 10 feet from the house.
- Stay with it: keep a grill or outdoor fire attended. USFA recommends a 3-foot child-and-pet safety zone around a grill.
- Put it all the way out: Rockland Fire & Emergency Services Director Chris Kear told News 12 to use plenty of water and fully extinguish a fire pit before going inside for the night.
- Cool coals and ashes first: once cooled, place them in a metal can with a lid—not beside the house, in a cardboard box or in ordinary trash while warm.
- Remove the easy ignition: fully extinguish cigarettes, keep matches and lighters out of children's reach, and do not burn trash, leaves, painted wood or treated lumber.
What local officials reported
In an October 5 interview, Rockland Fire & Emergency Services told News 12 that 14 fires in the county this year began outside homes and spread to the structures. Officials said the county usually sees about half that number in a year. Reported causes included smoking materials, grills, a child playing with matches, improper disposal and lightning.
Why an outside fire can become a life-safety problem
A fire can climb siding, reach an eave or catch nearby fuel before someone inside realizes what is happening. That is why the useful question is not only whether a fire pit or grill is “outside,” but what sits between the heat and the house: siding, a deck rail, dry mulch, stacked firewood, overhanging branches or another combustible surface.
New York's rules are a floor, not every local rule
The State Department of Environmental Conservation says a small outdoor fire must use only charcoal or dry, clean, untreated and unpainted wood. Burning trash and loose leaves is prohibited. DEC also tells residents to check local rules before lighting a fire because towns and villages may be stricter, and to check the current fire-danger map, avoid windy days, keep water or an extinguisher nearby and never leave a fire unattended.
What the available record does not show
The 14-fire figure comes from the named County fire official's interview; The Rockland Edit did not find a published County incident table that lists all 14 fires, dates or causes. This article is a prevention guide, not notice of an active fire, a finding about any individual property or a declaration that every outdoor fire is lawful.
What changes for a resident: before using a grill or fire pit, create real separation from the house and anything combustible, stay with the fire, and fully extinguish it before going inside. Rockland officials say outdoor-to-home fires are running at about twice the usual annual count.
Local reporting source: News 12's October 5 interview with Rockland Fire & Emergency Services Director Chris Kear ↗, which reports the 14-fire count, comparison with a typical year, listed causes and County recommendations. Primary safety guidance: the U.S. Fire Administration's outdoor-fire guidance ↗ and the New York State DEC open-burning rules and campfire checklist ↗. Sources were checked October 6, 2026, at 8:51 a.m. EDT.