The state of New Jersey has been feeling the heat, as the drought that began on October 12, 2024 continues to negatively impact the state. When this drought started, the public did not expect anything other than a bit of dry weather, which has now turned into a statewide issue.
The main problem being wildfires, local firefighters are tasked with the mission of stopping and containing the massive spread of flames. This time of year is hazardous for dry conditions, as leaves falling off the trees make a perfect start for a fire while the wind pushes the fire along, creating a recipe for disaster. To date, there has been one casualty related to the wild fires. While fires are the main issue, the drought has gone on for so long that the state water supply is getting dangerously close to scarce.
The New Jersey governor issued a drought warning on Wednesday, adding that as conditions get worse, water restrictions will become stricter as well. One of the most notable fires that has been started due to the drought is the ongoing Jennings Creek fire in Passaic County. The fire has spread over five hundred acres near the New York – New Jersey border and is still not fully contained. Greg McLaughlin, administrator of New Jersey’s Forest Fire Service’s office of forest and natural lands, claims that “these numbers have never been seen by the Forest Fire Service in our 118-year history,” McLaughlin said. “The impact of this dryness on wildfires cannot be overstated.”
Sunday and Monday morning offered little relief, with the first break of the dry streak J has had in 41 days. While the small rainfall broke the dry streak, the drought shows no signs of stopping and dry weather is still in the forecast. As the table in the picture shows, records for days without rainfall have been broken in various areas all around the state. The nightly weather forecast will continue to be a topic of discussion until we see sizable rainfall and containment of the fire spread that is continuing to inflict damage on the Garden State.
