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The National Weather Service has issued a warning about the elevated risk of wildfires in Northern Jersey, following the Jennings Creek Wildfire breaking a containment line over the weekend. The wildfire, which has been burning for over ten days, has consumed more than 5,000 acres, with nearly 2,300 acres in Passaic County alone.
The fire is now nearly 90 percent contained, thanks to the efforts of firefighting crews who managed to push the fire back within the containment area. However, the NWS warns that the fire could still spread due to dry conditions and strong winds.
Over the weekend, a voluntary evacuation order was issued for about 165 houses in Warwick, New York, near the New Jersey border. The evacuation was enacted out of an abundance of caution, allowing firefighters to continue their work without any impediments. The evacuation order is expected to remain in place at least until Monday. According to NBC New York, the evacuation was successful, and no structures were in danger as of early Sunday afternoon.
The Jennings Creek Wildfire began on November 8 and has been a significant challenge for firefighters due to the lack of rainfall and windy conditions. Firefighters will remain on the scene until significant rainfall occurs. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The wildfire has already claimed the life of an 18-year-old New York parks employee, who died when a tree fell on him as he helped fight the fire in Sterling Forest on November 9. Two New Jersey firefighters were also injured fighting the fire over the last week. USA Today reports that all of New Jersey and southeast New York state are enduring the worst parts of an ongoing drought that stretches from Virginia to Massachusetts, exacerbating fire danger.