NJ Spotlight News
Farmers brace for ongoing risk of wildfires
Clip: 11/8/2024 | 5m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
Dry conditions, unseasonable warmth and high winds keep farmers on edge
The New Jersey Forest Fire service is still battling several wildfires and the National Weather Service has put the entire state under a “red flag warning.” State Climatologist Dave Robinson said that rain is possible this weekend. Although the state’s historic drought could soon end, farmers remain worried about the ongoing risk of wildfires.
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NJ Spotlight News is a local public television program presented by THIRTEEN PBS
NJ Spotlight News
Farmers brace for ongoing risk of wildfires
Clip: 11/8/2024 | 5m 10sVideo has Closed Captions
The New Jersey Forest Fire service is still battling several wildfires and the National Weather Service has put the entire state under a “red flag warning.” State Climatologist Dave Robinson said that rain is possible this weekend. Although the state’s historic drought could soon end, farmers remain worried about the ongoing risk of wildfires.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAnother day, another fire here in new Jersey, this time one burning on the Palisades Parkway in Englewood Cliffs, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
They made the announcement this morning saying the fire had burned through 19 acres and is only 30% contained.
The fire service is using ground crews and helicopters to try to control the blaze, but it's one of just several fires burning around the state right now and adds to the startling number of forest fires that have erupted across new Jersey in just the last few weeks.
In fact, yesterday, a massive fire broke out in Gloucester County and the Glassboro Wildlife Management Area.
Both of those fires are under investigation.
But today, the Forest Fire Service has issued a smoke advisory that's expected to last over the next several days because of all these ongoing fires.
The advisory touches regions from north to south, east to west, including towns in Essex, Morris, ocean, Camden and Burlington counties.
Ted Goldberg is in one of those affected towns, Jackson, where the shotgun fire is still raging.
He has more details on that and the weather conditions fueling these fires.
The Forest Fire Service is battling wildfires across new Jersey.
A historic drought has produced perfect conditions for wildfires.
And the National Weather Service has put the entire state under what's known as a red flag warning.
Meteorological conditions for the spread of wildfires is going to be very high.
We take into account, a couple of different factors.
Number one being is the vegetation very dry.
Mount Holly meteorologist Mike Lee says the other factors for these daily warnings are low humidity and high wind.
New Jerseyans have seen plenty of both over the last two months, and so have people throughout the northeast.
It's very, very interesting to see red flag warnings being issued all the way from D.C. to Boston, right?
And so that entire area is a very large swath location, and that one is a little bit less common, where you see it in pretty much the entire, you know, megalopolis region.
According to the Forest Fire Service, the Bethany run wildfire has grown to 360 acres in South Jersey.
But 75% of it is contained.
Meanwhile, the slightly smaller shotgun wildfire in Jackson is 80% contained.
The most recent one, in Jackson, was only about ten miles away from me.
So yes, I have you know, I have some concerns that, you know, it could could happen right here.
And, you know, in my backyard.
Douglas Kauffman, like all farmers, is a busy guy.
We grow tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, all kinds of, summer squash.
Part of his preparations include dealing with the increased risk of fires that could threaten his livelihood.
For the fall, we've already kind of mitigated some of that by, you know, planting fall cover crops and having green foliage in the field.
But this year, no cover crops were planted in the Sahara desert.
Watch your head because it's slow.
Kauffman says the drought hasn't hit him too badly.
The goats get a little orange Gatorade, and a drip irrigation system helped his veggies survive until harvest.
From here, it will flow through water lines, run underneath this plastic, and feed plants if there isn't enough rain.
This system was set up about 15 years ago with some help from a federal program.
We would never have had enough water, to try to make a crop out here as long as we did.
If it wasn't for, you know, drip irrigation.
Our pond isn't that big.
Kaufman's pond is four feet shallower than normal.
While it's not a concern now, it could become one if things stay dry.
If we don't start getting some, you know, consistent rainfall next, next spring is going to be a big question.
There might be good news soon.
The drought could end as soon as this weekend, according to state climatologist Dave Robinson.
They've actually increased the amount of precipitation that might fall to a quarter to a half an inch in parts of the state.
That would be a deluge compared to what we've had with our last measurable rain.
Of note, was the 28th in the 29th of September.
Lee says the red flag warning doesn't mean you shouldn't live your life.
It just means you should follow state restrictions on lighting outdoor fires if they're not elevated and following some basic precautions.
Discarding a cigaret.
But if you're careless with it and you discard it into some dry grass, maybe some leaves.
Even just a small spark.
As much as there could potentially start a much larger brush fire and then eventually wildfire as well.
We're given parking your car on top of dry grass or leaves potentially could start a, unintentional brush fire.
The drought has produced some incredible sights, including historic low water levels at the Manasquan Reservoir.
Farmers are hoping these sites go away soon and rainfall can return to the Garden State.
In Monmouth County, I'm Ted Goldberg, NJ Spotlight News.
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