As of Monday, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has implemented heightened fire restrictions statewide in response to prolonged dry conditions and increased wildfire activity.
Under the highest-tier Stage 3 restrictions, all fires in wooded areas will be prohibited unless contained in an elevated stove using only propane, natural gas, gas or electricity. No charcoal fires are allowed.
The Murphy administration issued a statewide drought watch on Oct. 17, strongly urging residents and businesses to voluntarily conserve water as persistent dry and warmer-than-average conditions continue to stress the state’s water supplies. During the past three months, New Jersey has experienced significantly below-average rainfall, which has contributed to diminished streamflow, reservoir and groundwater levels.
“We are currently experiencing some of the driest conditions ever, making our forests, in particular the sprawling Pinelands region of southern New Jersey, especially vulnerable to wildfires that could spread very quickly and threaten property,” said state Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette in a statement. “It is critical that members of the public be extra cautious about fire prevention and refrain from using any open flames.”
LaTourette says the next several days are a concern because wind gusts are forecast in excess of 20 miles per hour, with very low humidity — perfect conditions for fire spread.
“When conditions become this dry, the simplest things can start a wildfire,” said Bill Donnelly, firewarden and chief of the state Forest Fire Service. “In my 30-year career with the Forest Fire Service, I can’t recall a time when we faced such a prolonged period of dry weather with no relief in sight.”
New Jersey’s fall fire season usually runs mid-October through mid-November but it ramped up quicker than usual because of long stretches of warm and extremely dry weather. Since the start of the year, New Jersey has experienced 934 wildfires that have burned more than 6,700 acres of land. The last drought watch in New Jersey occurred in August 2022 and was lifted in December 2022.
