Temperatures continue to march upward in the tri-state area, with the forecast trending even warmer as the week goes on and near-record highs possible — a welcome summery feel that is also triggering wildfire concerns regionally.
Brush fires erupted across New Jersey a day ago in Brick, Howell Township and Teaneck. On Wednesday, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service was battling what is being called the Kanouse Wildfire in West Milford Township off Route 23 and Spring Lake Road that had reached 140 acres — was nowhere near contained.
The forest fire service said that 10 structures were threatened as of Wednesday night.
Meanwhile, an Ocean County blaze near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst forced the evacuation of around 170 homes late Tuesday, with police and fire officials going door-to-door to ask people to take temporary shelter at a nearby high school. Helicopters were filling large containers with water from a nearby lake Wednesday and dropping it on the still-raging flames.
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“This fire exhibited extreme fire behavior. We saw a wall of fire, 200-foot flames, raining fire embers. I don’t mean to be dramatic but this was a severe situation,” John Cecil, Assistant Commissioner of State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites, said.
No one was injured and no homes were damaged, though more than 3,800 acres had burned. Crews got the upper hand by late Wednesday, as the fire was 75 percent contained with no structures threatened. Traffic advisories remain in effect, and the risk is ongoing.
The Ocean County fire was so intense, smoke could be smelled upwards of 10 miles away.
"Currently, we are in the leaves off season, so that warm sun penetrates the open canopy of the trees right now, since we haven't greened up, so the forest floor and all the fuel are very dry. Should there be an ignition source, wildfires spread quickly," Trevor Raynor, of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said.
Officials say, overall, 15 forest fires have broken out across the state this month so far.
The combination of high temperatures, super-dry air and a breezy conditions will keep our fire danger high Thursday. A red flag warning is in effect for much of Connecticut, and fire watches remain in effect for New York City's five boroughs and much of New Jersey — and don't be surprised to see both get extended Thursday. Learn more about red flag warnings (and check the latest weather alerts here).
The dry spell continues with at least two more days of sunny skies, paired with temperatures going up, up, and way into the 80s (even nearing 90 degrees!) lasting through Friday.
Expect temperatures to hit the mid- to upper 80s Thursday and again Friday. New York City's Friday forecast is 86 degrees, close to what is average for early July (minus the humidity). Friday will be hot and dry, but less breezy, so an incremental decrease in fire danger,
Most of the record high temperatures for Friday were set all the way back in the 1940s; Thursdays highs were set mostly in 1977, so either way there could be decades-old records broken. We should be within a degree or two of reaching those highs for Central Park, all three NYC airports, as well as Bridgeport, Islip and Poughkeepsie.
We're not looking at another bout of rain until light showers for some on Saturday, when the real relief from the dryness comes. More rain is expected Sunday evening and temperatures continue to stay lower. Then we've got cooler temps and lingering showers Monday and a strong reality check hits Tuesday, with highs expected in the low 60s and partly sunny skies through the better part of next week.
See the 10-day NYC weather forecast below.
