Late winter and early spring in New Jersey means prescribed burning season

It is late winter, a couple of weeks to go until spring officially arrives, and this means that prescribed burning season, which officially began on February 19, 2019, running until early spring. As I understand it, prescribed burns conducted by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service may occur at other times. More importantly, prescribed burns are weather dependent. High winds are an obvious example that will but a stop to a planned prescribed burn. Snow and wet soils may be another example. For example, in my corner of New Jersey we are still losing the last of our snow cover from two snow events from March 1 through March 4th, so I think that is likely that ground conditions may have been too wet in much of northern New Jersey to allow for prescribed burns.

Those of you are interested in learning more will want to read the February 19th press release from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection announcing the New Jersey Forest Fire Service 2019 prescribed burning season. The press release also references landowners rights to prescribed burns as well as the the 2018 New Jersey Prescribed Burn Act. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has a nice FAQ document on prescribed burning facts for private landowners, go here to see the FAQ. I am including an excerpt from the February 19th press release:

Forest Fire Service personnel use best management practices and follow a plan to control smoke impacts during the burns, but nearby residents and visitors should expect to see large plumes of smoke and may experience temporary impacts from smoke.  

Motorists are also reminded to use caution when approaching areas where prescribed burns are taking place, by observing posted reduced speed limits, and being alert to the presence of trucks and Forest Fire Service personnel. 

“Since 1906, the Forest Fire Service has protected property, lives and infrastructure by creating defensible space and strategic fire breaks near developed areas,” said Greg McLaughlin, Chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. “These prescribed burns help prevent wildfires, reduce the intensity of these fires, and provide a foundation for safer, more effective fire suppression and protection operations.” 

Prescribed burns, also known as controlled burns, will continue if weather conditions are appropriate. The burns are generally conducted during late winter months to reduce the amount of smoke produced and because weather conditions tend to be more predictable for safer controlled fires.

In past years, I have driven by areas where the New Jersey Forest Fire Service was conducting prescribed burns. While I have no photos of these burns, I can attest to seeing signage warning drives that a prescribed burn was going on.

I close with a couple of videos showing prescribed burns. I have driven on the road in the first video many times driving to the NJ Pine Barrens and the Tuckerton area of the New Jersey shore. I am less familiar with the Monmouth Battle Field that you will see in the second video, but I know that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B-10 has conducted prescribed burns in past years.


Direct link to video from 105.7 The Hawk


Direct link to video from NJFFS Section B-10