Dry February in New Jersey and increased wildfire danger

 I knew from my own daily rainfall observations from my rain gage (including melted snow) that February was on the dry side but it wasn’t until I saw a March 10 article by Amanda Oglesby from the  Asbury Park Press that I fully appreciated how dry it was in New Jersey, confirming my suspicions of the possibility of increased wildfire danger. 

“'Only 1.55 inches of rain and melted snow fell on the Garden State in February, which helped create a particularly dry forest in the Pine Barrens', Robinson said. It could worsen a wildfire season officials say is getting longer.

'That was the 11th driest February on record," he said. "We go back to 1895 (in years of weather records).’

Blustery, dry conditions helped fuel the wildfire in Little Egg Harbor this week, which was quickly contained by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service at 418 acres.

Fire officials also say wildfire season, which typically runs from mid-March to mid-June, has been expanding in recent years.

‘The last three, four years, we've been seeing wildfires in February and early March and mid-March," said Chief Greg McLaughlin of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.'"We're doing prescribed burning, and yet… we're stopping, and then we're responding to wildfires.’ (Oglesby, Amanda; March 10, 2023 Asbury Park Press"

The complete version from the Dr. Davide A. Robinson, the NJ State Climatologist reviewing February 2023 weather in New Jersey may be found on this page from the Office of the New Jersey State Climatologist.

While March seems to be getting off to a wet start according to my rain gage, who knows if the faucet will turn off leading New Jersey back to a dry period as the spring wildfire season in New Jersey continues. I applaud the wildland firefighters of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and the various firefighters from local fire departments who responded to wildfires through mutual aid. I urge homeowners in areas such as the New Jersey Pinelands that are especially prone to wildfires to take steps to protect their homes. New Jersey homeowners will find the Firewise Communities page from the NJ Forest Fire Service useful to make their home and property safer from wildfires, in particular there is a checklist of steps homeowners can take:

• Clean roofs and gutters of dead leaves, debris and pine needles that could catch embers
• Replace or repair any loose or missing shingles or roof tiles to prevent ember penetration
• Reduce embers that could pass through vents in the eaves by installing 1/8 inch metal mesh screening
• Clean debris from exterior attic vents and install 1/8 inch metal mesh screening to reduce embers
• Repair or replace damaged or loose window screens and any broken windows
• Screen or box-in areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent debris and combustable materials from accumulating
• Move any flammable material away from wall exteriors - mulch, flammable plants, leaves and needles, firewood piles - anything that can burn
• Remove anything stored underneath decks or porches.