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| Risk of ‘rapid fire spread’ remains in New Jersey as battle continues against blaze | Risk of ‘rapid fire spread’ remains in New Jersey as battle continues against blaze |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Crews still working to contain one the state’s largest ever wildfires, amid warm temperatures and dry conditions | Crews still working to contain one the state’s largest ever wildfires, amid warm temperatures and dry conditions |
| With crews still working to contain one of New Jersey’s largest wildfires on record, fire danger remains elevated across the state and into eastern Pennsylvania, the National Weather Service warned on Friday. | With crews still working to contain one of New Jersey’s largest wildfires on record, fire danger remains elevated across the state and into eastern Pennsylvania, the National Weather Service warned on Friday. |
| “There is an increased risk for rapid fire spread this afternoon across portions of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania,” the NWS said. | “There is an increased risk for rapid fire spread this afternoon across portions of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania,” the NWS said. |
| Low humidity, ranging from 25% to 35%, along with warm temperatures and winds of 10 to 15mph and with gusts up to 20mph (32km/h) create conditions that could allow the fire to spark and spread rapidly. | Low humidity, ranging from 25% to 35%, along with warm temperatures and winds of 10 to 15mph and with gusts up to 20mph (32km/h) create conditions that could allow the fire to spark and spread rapidly. |
| Highs are expected to reach the upper 70s to near 80F (27C). This, paired with increasingly dry brush and grass, make it easier for new fires to ignite and “become difficult to control”, according to the US weather agency. | Highs are expected to reach the upper 70s to near 80F (27C). This, paired with increasingly dry brush and grass, make it easier for new fires to ignite and “become difficult to control”, according to the US weather agency. |
| Two other fires are already causing problems in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources said the Thompson Hollow fire in Cumberland county had spread to around 1,150 acres (465 hectares) on Friday morning with 0% containment. And a second fire, called the Hammond’s Rock fire, was also raging in the same county and had spread to around 200 acres. | |
| The New Jersey forest fire service has issued high fire risk alerts across all regions of the state. | The New Jersey forest fire service has issued high fire risk alerts across all regions of the state. |
| The Jones Road wildfire, which broke out on 22 April in southern Ocean county, had scorched roughly 15,250 acres as of Thursday night and was halfway contained, according to state officials. The number of structures under threat has dropped from 20 earlier this week to just four. One commercial building was lost, along with several vehicles and smaller structures. No injuries have been reported. | The Jones Road wildfire, which broke out on 22 April in southern Ocean county, had scorched roughly 15,250 acres as of Thursday night and was halfway contained, according to state officials. The number of structures under threat has dropped from 20 earlier this week to just four. One commercial building was lost, along with several vehicles and smaller structures. No injuries have been reported. |
| Prosecutors announced charges on Thursday against 19-year-old Joseph Kling of Waretown, New Jersey, who they say failed to fully extinguish a pallet bonfire, leading to the wildfire. Authorities allege Kling left the area while the fire was still active. He was arrested and taken to the Ocean county jail, where he awaits a court hearing. | Prosecutors announced charges on Thursday against 19-year-old Joseph Kling of Waretown, New Jersey, who they say failed to fully extinguish a pallet bonfire, leading to the wildfire. Authorities allege Kling left the area while the fire was still active. He was arrested and taken to the Ocean county jail, where he awaits a court hearing. |
| Looking ahead, AccuWeather forecasters say fire conditions may persist across the east coast of the US this spring due to unseasonably dry and warm weather, potentially reaching as far south as parts of Florida. | Looking ahead, AccuWeather forecasters say fire conditions may persist across the east coast of the US this spring due to unseasonably dry and warm weather, potentially reaching as far south as parts of Florida. |
| While no single weather event or climate disaster can be directly attributed to the ongoing climate crisis, a warming planet is seeing a greater intensity of disasters, including wildfires spreading into areas not usually associated with them. | While no single weather event or climate disaster can be directly attributed to the ongoing climate crisis, a warming planet is seeing a greater intensity of disasters, including wildfires spreading into areas not usually associated with them. |
| The New Jersey Pine Barrens, where the fire currently burns, is an ecologically significant part of the Atlantic coastline. The pine forest ecoregion once stretched from North Carolina to Nova Scotia, but the area in New Jersey is now the largest remaining portion of this unique ecosystem. | The New Jersey Pine Barrens, where the fire currently burns, is an ecologically significant part of the Atlantic coastline. The pine forest ecoregion once stretched from North Carolina to Nova Scotia, but the area in New Jersey is now the largest remaining portion of this unique ecosystem. |
| The pine barrens are home to diverse plant life, including rare and endangered flowers, along with at least 34 species of mammals and 144 species of birds. | The pine barrens are home to diverse plant life, including rare and endangered flowers, along with at least 34 species of mammals and 144 species of birds. |