NJ Wildfire Still At 2,283 Acres; Crews To Wrap Up Soon, Officials Say

WEST MILFORD, NJ — Firefighting operations will wind down Friday on a major wildfire in northern New Jersey as the focus turns to fighting the blaze across state lines, officials said.

Crews from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have been fighting the Jennings Creek Wildfire since Saturday. West Milford Mayor Michele Dale said that Forest Fire Service crews will transition to a patrol-only status in the New Jersey fire area after Friday, and continue helping New York firefighters manage the burn.

"Expect increased smoke in the coming days as New York will be conducting back-burn operations to manage the fire," she said on Thursday afternoon.

The fire has burned 2,283 acres in New Jersey and is 50 percent contained overall, as of the latest NJ Forest Fire Service update. Two homes are still under threat from the flames, though the threat has lifted for eight historic structures in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District.

Firefighters will be ramping up offensive efforts in New York by purposely burning more than 1,000 acres to starve the fire of additional fuel.

New York State Police are investigating the death of 18-year-old Dariel Vasquez, the state parks employee who died when a tree fell on him Saturday afternoon as he battled the fire. His funeral is scheduled for Monday.

West Milford residents can check the following Facebook pages for information about road closures and related community updates about the Jennings Creek Wildfire: Mayor Michele Dale, the West Milford Office of Emergency Management, the West Milford Fire Department, West Milford Police, and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.