NEW JERSEY – Fire Weather Warnings were issued for the NYC area on Tuesday, as gusty winds and dry fuel could lead to rapid fire spreading throughout the rest of the week.
JUMP TO: WILDFIRE MAP l AIR QUALITY TODAY
The wildfire threat across the Tri-State is increasing after brief rain earlier this week provided little relief to long-term drought conditions, the FOX Forecast Center said.
“The high fire potential is still with us for the next several days as well; that will be the big weather story for us here as we head through the next few days,” FOX 5 NY’s Mike Woods said.
West Milford fire today
Meanwhile, fire crews were back on the scene to build containment lines for the 5,000-acre Jennings Creek Fire. As of now, no structures or infrastructure are in danger. NY Gov. Kathy Hochul said Monday afternoon. However, nearly 300 first responders were actively working to extinguish the Jennings Fire.
Drought conditions have sparked hundreds of fires throughout the Tri-State area since Oct. 1, and this weekend, New York City residents reported smelling smoke and seeing hazy skies. At least one person, an 18-year-old Ramapo High School student and New York State Parks’ employee, was killed.
Here’s what you need to know about the status of wildfires and air quality in our area and what to expect this week:
AirNow has an interactive Fire and Smoke Map for updates on blazes in your area. The National Interagency Fire Center has also partnered with NASA to provide real-time interactive fire maps.
A look at the active wildfires in the Northeast along with the latest statistics on each fire. (FOX Weather)
Jennings Creek fire NJ: Passaic County, NJ, and Orange County, NY
The Jennings Creek Fire has so far burned 3,500 acres in the West Milford area of New Jersey and adjacent Greenwood Lakes, New York. As of Monday evening, the fire was only 20% contained.
Firefighters battle Jennings Creek wildfire
Firefighters are racing to contain the Jennings Creek wildfire, which has burned 3,500 acres along the New Jersey-New York border and is only 20% contained. FOX 5 NY’s Michelle Ross has the story.
The 0.25 inches of rain that fell overnight Monday provided an opportunity for crews to relax, but was far less than what was needed to extinguish the Jennings Creek fire and other brush fires.
Greenwood Lake fire update
Several structures in New Jersey and across state lines in Greenwood Lake, New York, are threatened. This includes two homes and eight structures along the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District.
The cause of this fire remains under investigation. Bill Donnelly, chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said the fire started in New York and northerly winds blew the fire into an area of New Jersey that was inaccessible to firefighters.
Officials said the wildfire is essentially burning in the wilderness, largely inaccessible for crews. In order to find and fight the fires, crews are navigating a maze of country roads, lakes and steep hills amid dense forests. Trees there have dropped most of their leaves onto parched ground, masking a potential danger.
“Beneath the surface leaf litter that falls off the trees, that stuff is bone dry,” Bryan Gallagher, a forest ranger with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, said at a media briefing. “So right now you get a little bit of rain that puts that surface fire out. But if it’s in the duff it’s going to stay there. It’s going to smolder like a cigar until it gets dry enough and then that fire can pop up again.”
A look at the fire weather alerts issued in the Northeast through Tuesday. (FOX Weather)
A firefighting helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons at a time was being used to help combat the fire. The National Guard deployed two Black Hawk helicopters for water drops, Hochul said.
Meanwhile, New York State Police said they were investigating the death of Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old state parks employee who died when a tree fell on him Saturday afternoon as he battled a major brush fire in Sterling Forest.
According to LoHud.com, Vasquez was a star high school baseball player and captain of Ramapo HIgh School’s team. According to a GoFundMe account set up to help his family cover expenses, he had plans to start college in January.
“Dariel’s sudden passing has left a void in our family and community, yet his legacy of love and courage remains an enduring source of inspiration. We remember him as a true hero,” the Vasquez family wrote on GoFundMe.
Cannonball 3 Wildfire: Passaic County, NJ
New Jersey officials reported 100% containment of a 181-acre fire in the Pompton Lakes area of Passaic County that was threatening 55 homes, although no evacuations had been ordered.
Jackson Township, NJ, fire
In New Jersey, Ocean County prosecutors on Saturday announced arson and firearms charges in connection with a 350-acre Jackson Township fire that started Wednesday. The blaze was largely contained by the end of the week, officials said.
They said that fire was sparked by magnesium shards from a shotgun round on the berm of a shooting range.
Englewood Cliffs fire
Other fires nearby include several acres of brush burning in Englewood Cliffs.
Prospect Park fire in New York City
On Friday, dozens of firefighters with the New York City Fire Department responded to a small brush fire in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park.
“This has been a historically dry time for New York City and more than 100 brush fires have occurred this month alone,” the FDNY tweeted.
Fire officials did not say what triggered the flames, but the park was open to the public when the fire ignited.
This map from AirNow.gov shows the current air quality in the New York City area. Click HERE if you’re having trouble viewing the embedded map.
Since Oct. 1, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said it has responded to 537 wildfires burning a total of 4,500 acres in the state. Likewise, in New York, fire officials said they have responded to 60 wildfires, which burned a total of 2,100 acres.
FOX Weather and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
