Because of wildfires burning downstate, Governor Kathy Hochul on Tuesday announced a statewide ban on outdoor fires.

Hochul held a press conference in Orange County on Tuesday, where she said, “We're actually currently under a drought watch, level two of five on our drought scale. This requires water conservation, asking all New Yorkers to participate, but not a cause for panic.”

She noted that the fires started “after one of the driest Octobers on record” and said the little rain that had fallen in the last two days wasn’t enough to extinguish the fires.

Albany County is among the counties forming a band on the state’s eastern border that is mapped as being in “high” danger of fire.

At the same time, although Albany County on Tuesday, Nov. 12, had breathable air, on Nov. 10, it had a reading of “moderate” for particulate matter, caused by drifting smoke.

“The winds are going to reach 35 miles an hour today,” Hochul said on Tuesday, “and that is just going to create turmoil, chaos, and a lot of uncertainty that we don't need right now.”

Hochul said that 11 wildfires were burning of varying degrees of size and dangerousness.

In Ulster County, the Whitehouse fire reached between 600 and 700 acres. “Reports are it's contained,” Hochul said. “We're watching it closely as the winds continue to pick up.”

The greatest concern is the Jennings Creek fire in Orange County, which has ravaged over 5,000 acres — 2,700 acres in New York and 2,300 acres in New Jersey.

That fire, Hochul said on Tuesday, had not yet been contained. “Some of the residents have been voluntarily evacuated, but I want to emphasize that at this moment, no structures are currently under threat.

“Last night we had a very difficult touch-and-go situation, but I thank God for the teams we had on the ground that created the fire line necessary to protect these individuals' homes.”

Hochul mourned the loss of an 18-year-old firefighter — “Dariel Vasquez lost his life while trying to protect the lives of others,” she said — while commending the “volunteer firefighters who've come from over 47 companies across the state of New York.”

 State Police helicopters are doing water drops and drone surveillance, she said. Other state agencies, including Environmental Conservation, Parks, and Homeland Security are also involved in firefighting efforts.

 Wildfire smoke contains several pollutants, including particulate matter and carbon monoxide, which can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, wheezing, coughing, and trouble breathing. 

The state’s health department is advising people, particularly in the New York City metro area, to check the air quality before doing vigorous outdoor activities. Children, the elderly, and people with lung problems are especially vulnerable.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency hosts an online service, AirNow.gov, that reports on air quality by ZIP code.