WEST MILFORD, N.J. – Strong winds have reignited a wildfire near the New York-New Jersey border, prompting emergency officials to issue a voluntary evacuation plan for approximately 165 houses in Warwick, New York. The wildfire, known as the Jennings Creek blaze, had previously been 90% contained on the Passaic County, New Jersey side of the border, and 70% contained in Orange County, New York as of Friday. However, the windy conditions on Saturday led to a renewed threat, necessitating the evacuation out of an abundance of caution.
Officials in New York State deployed helicopters to drop water on the wildfire, with the New York Army National Guard dropping 21,000 gallons of water while a New York State Police helicopter dropped nearly 900 gallons. The fire was primarily burning in Sterling Forest State Park, prompting the closure of certain woodland activities including hunting, but the visitor center and lakefront area remained open.
Tragically, the wildfire claimed the life of an 18-year-old New York parks employee who was killed by a falling tree while assisting with firefighting efforts in Sterling Forest on November 9th. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. As the fire continued to pose a threat in the Northeast, New England states were under red flag alerts for wildfires over the weekend. Massachusetts reported a significant increase in wildland fires compared to previous years, with Southern New Hampshire and parts of Maine also facing high fire danger conditions due to dry weather.
In Warwick, New York, a National Weather Service forecast did not predict rain until Wednesday night, leaving firefighters with the challenge of containing the blaze until then. Despite the voluntary evacuations and ongoing containment efforts, officials stated that they will remain on the scene until significant rainfall occurs to fully extinguish the fire. With dry surface fuels and unfavorable weather conditions persisting, the risk of wildfires remains high in the region.