Slightly wet and snowy start to spring wildfire season in New Jersey

As I write this we are in the midst of a cold and wet start to our spring here in New Jersey with more rain to come over the next few days. But I am not fooled by the rain and the attendant wet soil that the rain and snow has brought. As I have seen in the past, the soils have the potential to dry out quickly in the spring. With the trees not yet leafed out, various detritus on forest floors, and dry winds we are bound to have a spring wild fire season here in New Jersey. Perhaps not today, but soon.

Prescribed burning season in central New Jersey was over on April 1st and I think but am not sure that prescribed burning season in southern New Jersey is over as well. I understand that prescribed burning season in northern New Jersey will continue through April 15th. That is, if conditions allow for prescribed burns.

My friends from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service tell me that the SEATs have a tentative start date of April 12th, a week from today. Like last year, there will be an Air Tractor 602 from Downstown Aero on contract in New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Division C (southern NJ) and an Air Tractor 802 on contract in NJFFS Division B (central NJ). There will be a helicopter and bucket available in NJFFS Division A (northern New Jersey). I am not quite sure how long the two SEATs are on contract, probably until sometime in early May.