They can smell from a mile away and be seen from even farther.

Upstate firefighters are dealing with a rash of brush fires this week, with crews being dispatched to a number of incidents.

On Thursday, the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) arrived in Schoharie County, where they were dealing with the aftermath of a large fire.

The agency urged New Yorkers to adhere to burn bans now in effect. Meteorologists have been warning of an increased risk of fire the past few days, and unfortunately, that came to pass in multiple parts of the state. Some said that isn't unusual this time of the year.

“This is considered our fire season," state DEC Zone Supervisor Lt. Jeffrey Breigle said. "So yes, it is typical.”

The DEC is monitoring a number of fires across the state, including the one near Richmondville in Schoharie County.

“For this area, this kind of fire, it does happen from time to time along the railroad tracks,” Breigle said.

Forest ranger fire investigators believe the fire was a result of train activity in the area. No one was injured, and no homes or structures were damaged.

It started as three separate fires all burning into the woods. As of Thursday afternoon, firefighters narrowed it down to one fire that had already burned more than 200 acres.

It required a robust response from various agencies and resources, including a New York State Police helicopter, which dropped hundreds of gallons of water on the blaze.

“We network with different agencies, so when we have incidents like this, they know who we are. And we trained them,” Breigle said.

While many associate April with showers, experts said the conditions are ripe to spark brush fires.

“One of the things that make it real favorable is you don’t have the leaf out yet, you don’t have the green up," Breigle explained. "So all your leaf litter and debris in the forest gets heated up by that sun.”

That's why New Yorkers are reminded to take note of any red flag warnings and obey burn bans.

“Every year between the period of March 15 and May 15, there is a statewide burn ban. Any sort of open burning is not allowed at this time of year,” Breigle noted.

DEC and local law enforcement strictly enforce the bans. If ticketed, it could cost violators up to a $500 fine.

“Probably the majority of wildfires this time of year is caused from residential debris burning,” Breigle said.