POMPTON LAKES, NJ — Crews continued to battle several wildfires in northern New Jersey on Saturday.

Fires broke out across the state this week as drought affecting the tri-state region spans.

“The New Jersey Wildland Fire Department responded to more than 400 fires last month and approximately 40 fires between yesterday and today,” New Jersey Wildland Fire Chief Bill Donnelly said Saturday. .

Firefighters say a significant amount of rain is needed to give firefighters some relief.

“It’s up to Mother Nature. When she brings the rain, we’ll take a break, but until we see that, I don’t see any break in sight,” Donnelly said. “We’re not talking about, you know, a rain shower or anything like that. We’re talking about a few inches of rain, you know, a nice, slow, steady rain that can soak into the ground. Because Right now the floor is so hard, you take a big shower or something, it’ll just drip off the floor.”

A Air Quality Alert Issued for Northern New Jerseyas well as New York City and the Hudson Valley, until midnight Monday due to smoke.

One dead in fire that spreads to New Jersey and New York

The most recently reported fire is the Jennings Creek wildfire near Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road in West Milford. New Jersey Wildland Fire Department I first reported it around 2:15 p.m. Saturday..

“It’s a fire that started yesterday. Our fire tower noticed it and it was spotted in New York. Well, yesterday afternoon the fire spread to New York. “The winds changed overnight and started pushing it back toward New Jersey,” Donnelly said. .

The firefighters said it spread over 2,000 acresincluding part of Orange County in New York, and is not contained at all. Donnelly says this is the largest wildfire in the state so far this year.

In total, 10 buildings are threatened by the fire, including two homes, but no evacuations have taken place yet, firefighters said.

East Shore Road and Beach Road are both closed, as are all trails at Long Pond Ironworks State Park and Tranquility Ridge.

In a video, Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus said a person responding to the fire was killed Saturday afternoon. There were reports that a tree fell and landed on the first responder. Eastern Dutchess County Fire and Rescue says he was airlifted to a local hospital, but did not survive. Further details have not yet been released.

Pompton Lakes Fire

The Cannonball 3 wildfire near Cannonball Road in Pompton Lakes was first reported early Saturday morning.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Department reported shortly before 3:30 p.m. that the fire had spread to 164 acres and was 50% contained. The department says the flames are threatening 55 structures, but none have been evacuated at this time.

“Actually, everything seems to be in good shape,” Donnelly said of the Pompton Lakes fire.

Englewood Cliffs Fire

A wildfire burns along the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Englewood Cliffs, which began during the night of Thursday to Fridayis now 75% contained after spreading over 39 acres, firefighters said Saturday evening.

No structures are threatened at this time and firefighters said there will be no additional updates on this fire unless there is significant development.

Firefighters have not yet determined the cause of any of these three fires.

New Jersey wildfires

THE conditions still dry and windy have helped fuel a number of wildfires in New Jersey in recent days, including a fire in Jackson Township that started Wednesday.

Firefighters say the wildfire ultimately spread to 350 acres, but crews were able to achieve 90% containment on Friday evening.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Saturday that the cause of the fire was determined to be magnesium shrapnel from a shotgun shell igniting combustibles on the rim of a shooting range. Brick Township man arrested and charged with arson and violation of firearms regulations in connection with the Jackson Township wildfire.

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