Firefighters in New Jersey say a 5,900-acre blaze in the Bass River State Forest is close to being fully contained, just in time for another one to break out.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has been battling the Bass River blaze this week near the Jersey Shore. Officials said Saturday they expect it to be fully contained by the end of the day and the Garden State Parkway has reopened after being temporarily closed due to heavy smoke.
But as that fire comes under control, the forest fire service started battling a smaller blaze near Medford, New Jersey that broke out late Friday, about 40 miles inland. Officials said Saturday morning they expected the 120-acre fire to be 50 percent contained by midday.
“It’s been a little bit of a long week with some long nights and some long days,” said Forest Fire Service Chief Greg McLaughlin during a press conference Saturday morning. He said crews were being given rest after fighting the Bass River fire before being cycled in to fight the Medford fire.
Officials said conditions brought by climate change had led to a noticeable spike in forest fires in New Jersey.
“There was a climate report that was just released that did indicate that we’re seeing fire season being extended by three to five days earlier in the year and up to 10 days later in the year, and we feel that’s accurate in what we’re seeing,” McLaughlin said.
“We’re seeing the fire season window of mid-March to mid-May start in February or early March and here we are, into June,” he added.
McLaughlin said normally by this time of year, vegetation is in fuller bloom, which tends to dampen fires. But the lack of significant rain and higher temperatures has led to fires later in the season.
Officials said, in a typical year, New Jersey will see three or four major fires. So far this year there have been nine.
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