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UPDATE: Strong winds to complicate Jennings Creek wildfire [1]
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Date: 2024-11-11
The Jennings Creek wildfire raging along the New Jersey-New York border stretched to 3,000 acres as of Monday morning, state officials said, but another blaze in Pompton Lakes was finally contained after firefighters battled throughout the weekend.
The Jennings Creek wildfire, centered on West Milford in Passaic County, was only 10% contained as of the latest update Monday from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Crews from New Jersey and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Division of Forest Protection and Fire Management were coordinating efforts to try to prevent further spread.
The fire was one of several that burned throughout the weekend in New Jersey, the result of historically dry conditions across the region that were only slightly improved by the quarter-inch of rain that fell Sunday night into Monday. New York state officials announced over the weekend that an 18-year-old volunteer firefighter died while battling the Jennings Creek blaze, which has spread around the Greenwood Lake area into Orange County, New York.
Though not enough to stop the wildfire, the rain "provided an opportunity to rest several of the crews who have been working non-stop to contain this fire," the Forest Fire Service said in an online update Monday. "Today, crews are back on scene and will continue to improve containment lines and address areas of concern."
On Saturday evening, the state reported 75% containment of a 39-acre wildfire burning near the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Englewood Cliffs, in Bergen County.
Jennings Creek wildfire update
As of Monday, the Jennings fire posed a significant threat to 24 structures in its path, including two residential homes in New Jersey, eight in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District in West Milford, and 14 on East Shore Road in Greenwood Lake, New York.
No evacuations have been ordered as of yet. However, officials said some have voluntarily evacuated along East Shore Road in West Milford, where officials said two homes were threatened. The town has been under a local state of emergency.
Christopher Franek, a Forest Fire Service fire warden for the northern part of the state, said Monday afternoon that the firefighting efforts later this week would likely be complicated by stronger winds and lower relative humidity expected.
The fire was still at about 3,000 acres in size and 10% containment Monday afternoon, he said, though it has moved. Since the fire started, it has burned roughly 5,000 acres, New York Governor Kathy Hochul reported earlier Monday afternoon.
Efforts to fully contain the fire have been hampered by a lack of significant rainfall, with much of New Jersey receiving only light showers overnight. Ringwood in Passaic County saw the most, recording 0.25 inches, while Pompton Lakes received 0.21 inches and West Milford Township 0.24 inches, the National Weather Service said.
Several road closures are in effect due to the Jennings Creek fire, including East Shore Road from Awosting Road to Greenwood Lake Turnpike, along with Beech Road. Additionally, all trails in Long Pond Ironworks State Park and Tranquility Ridge are temporarily closed for public safety.
Firefighters are battling the fire from the ground and with a helicopter equipped to drop 350 gallons of water at a time, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.
The Jennings Creek wildfire is still under investigation to determine the cause.
Cannonball wildfire in Pompton Lakes
In a separate update Sunday, the Forest Fire Service said the Cannonball 3 wildfire, near Cannonball Road in Pompton Lakes, was fully contained as of 6:30 p.m. The 181-acre fire, which initially threatened 55 structures, was controlled without requiring any evacuations.
"Forest Fire Service crews will remain on scene for the next several days to continue to improve containment lines and address areas of concern until significant precipitation occurs to ensure public safety," the service said. "Smoke is expected to remain present until significant rain falls over the fire area. Smoke is expected to persist in the area until then."
Staff writer David M. Zimmer contributed to this report.
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[1] Url:
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2024/11/11/nj-wildfires-update-jennings-creek-fire-grows-pompton-contained/76193375007/
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