Smoke In Morris County? Firefighters Trace It To North Jersey Wildfire

MORRIS COUNTY, NJ — Residents around Morris County might be able to smell smoke Wednesday due to the ongoing wildfire in Passaic County and Orange County, New York, officials said.

As of Wednesday, multiple reports of smoke and haze have been reported across Morris County, with local police and firefighters attributing them to the ongoing wildfire in North Jersey, which has claimed the life of a firefighter and burned at least 3,500 acres.

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 Jennings Creek Wildfire has been burning since Saturday and continues to threaten two homes in West Milford, as well as eight buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District.

In Morristown, police issued an alert warning residents that they may notice smoke, haze, and the smell of burning, which they believe is being carried from the wildfires in North Jersey.

"There is no immediate cause for alarm," police said.

The Mount Tabor Volunteer Fire Department also noted that the increased smoky conditions could be "due to a wind shift today, as we are smelling it heavily in our area."

Residents are encouraged to still call 911 if they believe there is an emergency.

The National Weather Service issued a Special Weather Statement on Wednesday, warning of an elevated risk for the spread of wildfires across New Jersey.

"There is an increased risk for fire spread through early this evening. Minimum relative humidity values are expected to be between 20 and 30 percent this afternoon with the exception of the immediate coastal areas. Wind gusts will be around 15 mph. Due to the combination of marginal winds and very low relative humidity values, these conditions could support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could quickly become difficult to control," according to New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Statewide fire restrictions continue into Wednesday, 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.

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.