The ongoing drought has lead to a historic wildfire season in New Jersey.
This year there have been six major wildfires that have burned over 100 acres in less than 30 days.
The Jennings Creek wildfire and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation Division of Forest Protection and Fire Management are in unified command on a wildfire burning in Passaic County, New Jersey and Orange County, New York.
NJ Forest Service Update
In New Jersey, 2,283 acres have burned, and two homes are threatened. The fire burned 5,000 acres in total and crews have it at 50% containment.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service uses a scale to measure the dryness of fuels on the forest floor, which includes pine needles, branches and twigs.
"The scale reaches 800 at its maximum. Currently, we’ve measured 748 on the KBDI scale. These numbers have never been seen by the Forest Fire Service in our 118-year history,” said Greg McLaughlin of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
Nearly 8 inches down into the soil is completely dry, so these fires could burn for weeks if not months if they take hold of root systems underground, officials say.
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This drought also has led to a historic number of wildfires statewide. Just within a month and a half period, we've seen 500 more wildfires than last year. For the year 11,000 acres of forest have burned, nearly tripling the yearly average.
Even if a fire is fully contained that doesn't mean it's out.
From the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection:
- Oct. 26 - Industrial Parkway Wildfire - Livingston Twp., Essex County - 196 acres burned - 48 structures threatened - 6 commercial structures evacuated - multiple road closures including State Route 10
- Oct. 31 - Halloween Wildfire - Downe Twp., Cumberland County - 137 acres burned - 0 structures threatened/evacuated
- Oct. 31 - Craigmeur Lookout Wildfire - Rockaway Twp., Morris County - 202 acres burned - 16 structures threatened - 8 structures evacuated
- Nov. 6 - Shotgun Wildfire - Jackson Twp., Ocean County - 350 acres burned - 25 structures threatened - 15 structures evacuated
- Nov. 7 - Bethany Run Wildfire - Evesham Twp., Burlington County and Voorhees Twp., Camden County - 360 acres burned - 104 structures threatened - 12 structures evacuated
- Nov. 7 - Pheasant Run Wildfire - Glassboro, Gloucester County, 133 acres burned - 0 structures threatened - 0 structures evacuated