Deadly NJ Wildfire Grows To 5K Acres: Latest Updates

NEW JERSEY — Officials said a wildfire burning in West Milford was not slowed much by the rain, and it continues to threaten several homes and historic structures as it has spread Monday.

An 18-year-old firefighter died while responding to the Jennings Creek Wildfire, which started on Saturday and now stretches 5,000 acres between the New York-New Jersey border.

Windy conditions could also create another "concerning" day for fire weather around New Jersey this week, forecasters said.

The fire comprises 2,500 acres in both New York and New Jersey and is 10 percent contained in each state, officials said on Monday afternoon.

Officials said Ranger Dariel Vasquez, a member of the New York State Parks Wildland Fire Crew, was killed by a falling tree on Saturday in Greenwood Lake, N.Y.

The Forest Fire Service said that about a quarter-inch of rain fell across the fire overnight into Monday, allowing a brief respite for several crews who have been "working non-stop."

Firefighters are back on scene working to contain the fire, and address any areas of concern that pop up. A Forest Fire Service helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water is also at the scene.

"Operations will continue throughout the day and are expected to last for the entire week," West Milford Mayor Michele Dale said.

The next major update is expected via social media at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

The fire is burning near Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road in West Milford, and across state lines in Orange County, N.Y. Two homes in West Milford, and eight buildings in Long Pond Ironworks Historic District, are under threat from the fire.

West Milford is under a local state of emergency, though no evacuations have been ordered.

Smoke from the Jennings Creek Wildfire has been visible in Wayne Township and other nearby communities as the burn continues.

Firefighters were also to contain a separate fire that broke out in Passaic County, dubbed the Cannonball 3 Fire, which burned 181 acres along Cannonball Road in Pompton Lakes.

Another forest fire started over the weekend in Bridgewater Township, which more than two dozen fire, EMS, and rescue companies responded to. Crews worked for several hours and were able to bring the fire under control.

Thick smoke from fires in Evesham and Glassboro also prompted residents' carbon monoxide detectors to go off Sunday morning, officials said.

In both areas, residents were advised Sunday to stay indoors and keep their windows and doors closed.

Dry, windy conditions could increase fire danger again this week

Outdoor fires have been prevalent in recent weeks, spreading quickly because of the region's worsening drought — which this weekend's spurts of rain did not put a major dent in.

Weather forecasters said winds will pick up Monday as rain has left the area, and any areas that received precipitation will dry out throughout the day.

Higher winds and lower relative humidity on Tuesday "would make potentially another concerning day regarding fire weather," said the National Weather Service office in New York, which covers the five counties in northeastern New Jersey.

The NWS office in Mount Holly added that northwest winds are expected to gust 25 to 35 miles per hour, with gusts up to 40 mph possible in higher areas. This office provides forecasts for the state's other 16 counties.

"The very dry conditions continue on Wednesday, but winds should be considerably lighter," forecasters said.

There is no additional rain in the forecast this week. Significant rainfall - such as that from a tropical storm - is needed in order to fully quell drought conditions.

Statewide fire restrictions continued into Monday, prohibiting charcoal fires and only allowing fires in elevated stoves that use only propane, gas, natural gas or electricity.

The state also issued a drought watch on Oct. 17, encouraging residents and businesses to conserve water.

Several major wildfires, and hundreds of smaller ones, have broken out over this period of dry weather.

The Forest Fire Service responded to 507 incidents statewide in October, which was New Jersey's driest on record. There had been 934 wildfire responses in 2024 as of Oct. 23, consuming more than 6,700 acres of forest.

Residents can check air quality conditions and a Fire and Smoke Map at airnow.gov. The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management also has a Wildfire Monitoring Dashboard.