I am writing this post with some information from the NJ Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) on a change in their prescribed burning a couple of days later than intended as I was following the Smokehouse Fire in the panhandle of Texas (more on that in a later post). Anyway, in 2024 the NJFFS has increased their prescribed burning program to hopefully to prescribed burns on 25,000 acres, up from 21,900 acres. This increase is in response, at least partially, to the 2023 wildfire season in NJ where 14 major wildfires (100+ acres) burned approximately 18,000 acres in New Jersey. This made 2023 the worst wildfire season in 20 years. Prescribed burns can benefit the health of the ecosystem as well as safeguarding nearby towns.
The NJFFS conducts prescribed burns on public and privately owned lands.
The NJFFS issued a new press release on February 27th about their prescribed program which may be found here. Perhaps being aware of this press release from the NJFFS, New Jersey Advance Media has a nice February 27th article referencing this information and other information about the benefits of the prescribed burn program. The spring wildfire season in New Jersey starts on March 15th.
Both the New York City and the Philadelphia local CBS stations carried reports on the importance of the NJFFS prescribed burn program. I embed both of these videos here. I think the importance of these two report is to get the word out to both northern and southern New Jersey. In addition, if you watch both videos you will see prescribed burns in two different ecosystems.
Direct link to video from CBS New York on Youtube
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