N.Y. forest ranger dies fighting fire
A New York state forest ranger died battling a wildfire in Greenwood Lake, N.Y., on Saturday, Nov. 9, according to a Facebook post by the Plattekill Fire Department.
"Our heartfelt condolences to our comrade and his family," the department said.
On Saturday evening, Nov. 9, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said it was at a wildfire burning near Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road in West Milford, N.J., and in Orange County, N.Y.
The fire covers 2,000 acres and two homes are threatened along with eight structures in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District.
No evacuations have been ordered.
The Forest Fire Service has fire engines and ground crews there. Earlier in the day, two helicopters capable of dropping 350 gallons of water were there too.
East Shore Road is closed from Awosting Road to Greenwood Lake Turnpike and Beach Road also is closed. All trails in Long Pond Ironworks State Park and Tranquility Ridge are closed.
Members of the West Milford Womanâ€TMs Club, who were at Ringwood Manor on Saturday afternoon to decorate for the annual Victorian Christmas tour, were told to leave because of fire danger.
Earlier Saturday, the West Milford Office of Emergency Management (OEM) said East Shore Road was closed because of firefighters operating at Jennings Creek just over the border in New York state.
Smoke was present in Awosting and Greenwood Lake from that wildfire, the OEM said about 10:45 a.m.
The Town of Warwick Police Department said its members, New York State Police and the New York State Forest Rangers were with the Greenwood Lake Fire Department monitoring the Jennings Creek fire.
A red flag warning was issued through 6 p.m. Saturday in Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Union counties.
That means critical fire weather conditions are occurring or will soon because of a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels. Any fires that develop may quickly get out of control and become difficult to contain.
Stage 3 Fire Restrictions remain in effect. No burning is permitted except for gas, propane or electric grills.
The regulations are being strictly enforced. Violators can be fined up to $1,200.
West Milford fire activity
The West Milford Fire Department reported fighting four wildfires Friday night, Nov. 8.
About 7:30 p.m., Companies 2, 4 and 1 responded to 18 Paradise Road for a reported brush fire. They found a brush fire at the base of a utility pole that was growing rapidly.
The blaze was quickly extinguished but suppression tactics were halted when firefighters learned that the ground wire for the utility pole was energized by a primary line at the top of the pole. The power company and Forest Fire Service were called to the scene.
About 8:45 p.m., a brush fire on Clinton Road near Coventry Lane was reported. Firefighters used suppression tactics and created fire breaks. The Forest Fire was called, and the fire was knocked down.
Just after 11 p.m., Companies 2, 4 and 1 were dispatched to Route 23 North near Dairy Queen for a reported large brush fire. They found a brush fire traveling up Kanouse Mountain just north of the rest area.
Firefighters prevented it from jumping across a concrete waterway on the mountain. Tankers were requested from Jefferson and Kinnelon and the Green Pond Fire Department was asked to respond with a brush truck and UTV. The West Milford First Aid Squad also responded.
A water supply was set up on the highway. West Milford firefighters assisted the Forest Fire Services with mop up.
At midnight, Company 3 was asked to respond to the Cannonball Fire in Pompton Lakes with Tanker 3 to assist with water supply and structure protection.
Cannonball Fire
On Saturday morning, the Forest Fire Service said it remains on the scene of a wildfire burning near Cannonball Road in Pompton Lake.
Crews are working to improve fire lines and conducting a backfiring operation, strategically burning fuel in the fireâ€TMs path to slow its advance and assist with containment efforts.
About 100 acres are ablaze and 55 structures are threatened.
Cannonball Road is closed at DuPont Place and the right lane of Route 287 is closed on the northbound side.
The Forest Fire Service has fire engines and ground crews as well as a helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water there. Structure protection is being provided by local fire companies.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Pinelands fires
Firefighters were battling blazes in the parched New Jersey Pinelands on Thursday, Nov. 7, where they say conditions are the driest they have been in at least 120 years.
A forest fire in the Philadelphia suburb of Evesham forced the evacuation of a dozen homes on Thursday and was threatening dozens of other residences. The blaze was discovered Thursday morning and had burned completely uncontained across less than half a square mile (less than 2 square kilometers) by early afternoon, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.
Crews were battling another forest fire Thursday about an hour away in Jackson Township that was discovered a day earlier.
And late Thursday afternoon, a third, smaller blaze broke out in Glassboro, another Philadelphia suburb. Few details were immediately available on that fire.
No injuries or property damage have been reported in any of the fires.
"This is the driest weâ€TMve been in the agencyâ€TMs history," said Jeremy Webber, a supervising fire warden with the Fire Service, which was established in 1906.
Lack of significant rainfall since August contributed to the dry conditions, which prompted the state to impose strict restrictions on outdoor fires.
The fire in Jackson Township had grown to less than half a square mile (1.2 square kilometers) and was 40% contained as of late afternoon Thursday, said Greg McLaughlin, an administrator with the fire service.
Conditions were so dry that new spot fires were continuously breaking out as wind-blown leaves fall onto burning or smoldering areas.
About 25 homes were evacuated near the Jackson fire, although residents were permitted to return Wednesday night.
In Evesham, the blaze was threatening 104 homes overall, including a dozen that were evacuated Thursday. A helicopter was dropping 350 gallons (1,325 liters) of water at a time on the blaze, officials said.
Joann Bertone lives near the Jackson fire, and described animal and horse owners scrambling to arrange trailers to carry them to safety.
"It was extremely scary," she said. "I was up all night. It was nerve-wracking."
The causes of all three fires remain under investigation.
No rain in a month
Dry conditions have helped spark many wildfires in New Jersey in recent weeks.
Since Nov. 1, the state has seen 102 forest or wildfires that burned less than a square mile (less than 2 square kilometers), the fire service said.
The state has not seen significant rain in more than a month, and that trend was expected to continue for at least the next few days.
New Jersey had more than 400 wildfires in October alone, setting a new record, McLaughlin said.
Not even some promised rain Sunday night, Nov. 10 into Monday, Nov. 11 was expected to make much of a difference, Webber said.
"Weâ€TMre going to need inches of rain, not just one or two," he said