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Council requires parks department strategic plan to mitigate wildfires by March 2026
Summary
Intro 11‑85‑A directs the Department of Parks and Recreation to produce a wildfire mitigation and preparedness plan by March 1, 2026, and to report annually on park wildfires. The measure was adopted as part of the general orders calendar.
The New York City Council on May 1, 2025, adopted Intro 11‑85‑A, which requires the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to develop a strategic wildfire mitigation and preparedness plan by March 1, 2026, and to report annually on wildfires that occur in parks under DPR jurisdiction.
Why it matters: Council Member Shekhar Krishnan, the bill’s sponsor, said the city has seen a surge in park fires and needs interagency planning, increased training, improved surveillance in fire‑prone parkland and stronger enforcement against activities that contribute to fires. The measure aims to improve prevention, response times and public education to protect urban trees and green spaces.
Sponsor remarks: Council Member Shekhar Krishnan said the bill responds to a “clear message” from recent park fires and called for decisive action to prepare the city for worsening climate‑driven wildfire risk.
Outcome and next steps: The legislation was adopted as part of the general orders calendar. DPR must coordinate with other city agencies and post the preparedness plan on its website; the plan is to be updated regularly and include data on recent park fires.
Implementation responsibility rests with DPR, which is required to post the plan and provide annual updates to the public.
