Firefighting efforts begin to wind down on the New Jersey side of the Jennings Creek wildfire
The smoke has significantly cleared from the skies over West Milford over the last 24 hours. There are a few spots of smoldering still visible in some remote areas of Sterling Forest.
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New Jersey has experienced 1,295 wildfires this year, according to state officials. One of the largest is the Jennings Creek Wildfire, currently burning in West Milford and across the border in New York.
Fire officials who have been dealing with that fire since it started on Saturday say that it is now 75% contained.
The smoke has significantly cleared from the skies over West Milford over the last 24 hours. There are a few spots of smoldering still visible in some remote areas of Sterling Forest. Fire officials say that right now there are no homes under threat of this fire.
“We are hoping Mother Nature cooperates and everything goes as planned but there is no guarantee,” says New Jersey Forest Fire Service Chief Bill Donnelly.
RELATED: Fire officials make significant progress fighting Jennings Creek wildfire on 5th day
Chris Franek with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service says that the fire containment lines “are looking really good.”
Fire officials say that people who live in the area of West Milford will continue to see and smell smoke over the next few weeks. Roads will slowly start to reopen.
Firefighters will continue to patrol and manage this fire where needed.
“We do have a couple of areas of fuel we might try to burn out but they’re well within our containment lines,” Franek added.
The mayor of West Milford says firefighting operations in the Garden State should finish by the end of Friday. The closed Beech Road and East Shore Road should reopen by Sunday.
On the New York side, there is still much work to be done. The fire is only 30% contained and Chinook helicopters, which can drop 2,000 gallons of water at a time, are being used.
The cause of this fire is under investigation. Donnelly says in 90% of the cases, when there’s no lightning, these wildfires are started by human activity.
