N.Y. ENV Law § 9-1111

§ 9-1111. Forest fire protection.\n 1. Towns adjacent to fire towns and fire districts. The department may\nwhen necessary in its judgment, in order to protect the forests in the\nfire towns and fire districts from fire, take steps to extinguish fires\nactually burning in any town adjacent to a fire town or district.\n 2. Impressing fire fighting assistance. Any department employee or any\nother officer charged by the department with the duty of fire fighting\nshall, notwithstanding the provisions of any other law to the contrary\nor in conflict herewith, have the power to summon and hire for the\npurpose of fighting fires any person who shall have attained sixteen\nyears of age, and to incur other expenses deemed necessary to the\nextinguishment of particular fires.\n 3. Additional protection by towns in Suffolk county. Any town in the\ncounty of Suffolk may appropriate not exceeding the sum of one thousand\ndollars in any one year without the vote of town meeting for the purpose\nof purchasing equipment and establishing fire patrols for the prevention\nof forest fires within any such town. The patrols and equipment shall be\nunder the direction and supervision of the town board. Moneys\nappropriated pursuant to this subdivision shall be assessed, levied and\ncollected in the same manner as moneys for other town charges are\nassessed, levied and collected.\n