A massive wildfire burning along New Jersey’s border with New York — leaving nearby cities shrouded in a smoky smell in recent days — is nearly contained but continues to smolder.
The blaze, dubbed the Jennings Creek Wildfire, was 90% contained on the Jersey side of the border in Passaic County, and about 70% contained on the New York side in Orange County, according to the latest update from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
WILDFIRE UPDATE: Jennings Creek Wildfire
At 10 a.m. on Nov. 15, @NJDEPForestFire achieved 90% containment of the Jennings Creek Wildfire burning in Passaic County, NJ and Orange County, NY.
SIZE & CONTAINMENT
🔥 2,283 acres burned in NJ
🔥 90% contained in NJ pic.twitter.com/GBGQ1nLHWh— New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) November 15, 2024
The flames were initially sparked last Saturday in West Milford, and since then, have burned through nearly 5,000 acres across both states.
The week-long effort to battle back the blaze has been hampered by extremely dry conditions in both states, where residents have seen little to no rain in recent months. High winds in the forecast for the weekend could also offer an additional challenge for firefighters and emergency crews working to tame the flames.
As a result, Red Flag Warnings were issued across New York and New Jersey on Saturday and will remain in effect until 6 p.m. The alert indicates the presence of critical fire weather conditions — including low humidity, strong winds, and dry vegetation — that contribute to a high risk of wildfires starting and spreading quickly.
What’s more, the forecast does not call for rain until Thursday, but first responders vowed to remain on the scene until significant precipitation occurs.
Nearly 300 firefighters from several states have helped to contain the fire, including some from as far away as Montana and Colorado.
Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old Parks and Recreation aid, was killed by a falling tree while volunteering with the Wildland Fire Crew. Another two New Jersey firefighters were injured as they battled the blaze.
The Jennings Creek Wildfire — the cause of which remains under investigation — is just one in a series of urban brush and wildfires fueled by the enduring drought that has been plaguing much of the northeast.
New York City’s fire department said it responded to 229 brush fires between Oct. 29 and Nov. 12, marking a record for any two-week time frame.