Residential brush burning in the North Country will be prohibited from March 16 through May 14.

In some towns in St. Lawrence County, residential brush burning is prohibited year-round unless the homeowner has a special permit from the DEC.

The spring no-burning order, which applies to towns with 20,000 or fewer residents, is usual at this time of year due to the lack of snow cover and exposure of potential fire fuel and unseasonably warm temperatures, according to the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

DEC says the potential for brush fires will be heightened in coming weeks, but that the potential in the North Country is lower than it is right now than most of the rest of the state, the announcement from DEC says.

Open burning of debris is the largest single cause of spring wildfires in the state, the department says. When temperatures are warmer and the past fall's debris and leaves dry out, wildfires can start and spread easily and be further fueled by winds and a lack of green vegetation.

Campfires using charcoal or untreated wood are allowed, but people should never leave fires unattended and must completely extinguish them before leaving the area. Burning garbage or leaves is prohibited year-round.

Some towns, primarily in heavily wooded areas, are designated "fire towns," and open burning is prohibited year-round in these municipalities unless an individual or group has a written permit from DEC.

In St. Lawrence County, the towns of Clare, Clifton, Colton, Fine, Hopkinton, Parishville, Piercefield and Pitcairn are DEC-designated fire towns.