Photo courtesy of Christopher Sadowski / NorthJersey.com
Wildfires are burning through New Jersey and across the tri-state area amid extreme drought conditions.
As of Saturday morning, at least six wildfires were actively burning in New Jersey causing air quality to be “unhealthy to sensitive groups,” according to the EPA.
Red flag warnings have been in place as the past couple of days have been dry, windy and humid. According to reports, this is due to the lack of rain. New Jersey is at a record-high of 39 consecutive days without “measurable precipitation.” Some rain is expected to arrive Sunday evening, but its unclear if it’ll be enough.
Many structures near the wildfires have been threatened due to fire spread.
As of Saturday morning, wildfires were active in:
- Englewood Cliffs, Bergen County
- Pompton Lakes, Passaic County
- West Milford, Passaic County
- Jackson Township, Ocean County
- Evesham and Voorhees townships, Burlington and Camden counties
- Glassboro, Gloucester County
A man was charged with arson in connection with the Jackson Township wildfire.
As of Sunday morning, the fire weather avalanche website shows about eight active fires in the state.
Wildfire Safety Tips
To ensure safety during the wildfires, it’s important to:
- Stay inside if possible and keep windows closed to avoid exposure to smoke
- Don’t do outdoor grills, fire pits or campfires
- Dispose cigarette butts safely to avoid any accidental fires
- Especially if living near affected areas, avoid adding to indoor pollutions: do not burn candles or use aerosol sprays, fireplaces or woodburning stoves
To keep up-to-date on fire conditions, air quality and advisories, you can follow:
- Local news accounts
- New Jersey Forest Fire Service (njdepforestfire on X)
- Airnow.gov to check air quality
- National Weather Service
- Local state, county and town official accounts
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