2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Increased Risk for Wildfires (April 30th)

 

Direct link to Facebook Post from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Thank you NJ National Guard for supporting the Jones Rd Fire

Direct link to Facebook post from the New Jersey National Guard

I knew that there two UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters from the NJ National Guard that worked the Jones Rd. Wildfire in support of other aerial assets and crews on the ground. I want to thank the NJ National Guard for your support and efforts. Not only have you helped with the Jones Road Fire but I know that you have also helped fight other large wildfires in New Jersey in the past. You are here to serve and to help and you have done that very well.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Jones Rd Fire April 28th updates

Direct link to NJFFS April 28th 2:07 PM PM Facebook Post

April 28th, 2:07 PM

The Jones Road Fire currently burning in Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County was first reported around mid-day on April 22nd. The fire started in the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County. The fire quickly grew with closures on the Garden State Parkway, Route 9 and local roads. Over 5,000 people were evacuated the evening of April 22nd when at least 3,000 structures were threatened. Evacuation orders were lifted the morning of April 23rd. No residences were destroyed. One commercial building, a few outbuildings and some vehicles were destroyed. The Garden State Parkway and Route 9 were reopened on April 23rd. To the best of my knowledge there have been no injures to firefighters or civilians. A Waretown man has been charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection with the Jones Road Fire.

The Jones Road Fire remains at 15,300 acres burned, no change in acreage burned in five days. However containment has increased to 75 percent.  Local roads are open but unimproved roads within the fire perimeter remain closed. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service remains on scene. The NJFFS continues to receive assistance from two New Jersey Army Air National Guard UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopters with 660 gallon buckets. The April 28th update from the NJ Forest Fire Service will be the last update on their social media platforms unless there are significant changes. Take some time to look at the photos of the fire.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Danny's Fire (April 23rd update)

Thanks to one of the local news outlets I was able to see the April 23rd press conference by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service on the Jones Road Fire where Bill Donnelly, Chief of the NJ Forest Fire Service. During this press conference, Chief Donnelly gave a brief update on the Danny's Fire in Vineland, Cumberland County. He said that the Danny's fire "has burned 1,327 acres and is at 80 percent containment. As I write this, these stats are five days old and the situation may have changed since then, hopefully for the better. 

Update on May 3rd, a couple of days ago I saw on the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page that the Danny's fire is at 80 percent containment.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Jones Rd Fire April 25th updates

Direct link to NJFFS April 23rd 12:49 PM Facebook Post

April 25th, 10:22 AM

The Jones Road Fire currently burning in Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County was first reported around mid-day on April 22nd. The fire started in the Greenwood Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County. The fire quickly grew with closures on the Garden State Parkway, Route 9 and local roads. Over 5,000 people were evacuated the evening of April 22nd when at least 3,000 structures were threatened. Evacuation orders were lifted the morning of April 23rd. No residences were destroyed. One commercial building, a few outbuildings and some vehicles were destroyed. The Garden State Parkway and Route 9 were reopened on April 23rd. To the best of my knowledge there have been no injures to firefighters or civilians. 

As I write this post on the morning of April 25th, the Jones fire has burned 15,300 acres and is at 60 percent containment. Four structures are threatened. The only road closures in effect are for unimproved roads within the fire perimeter. A damage assessment is underway. A Waretown man has been charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection with the Jones Road Fire. For more information please see News 12 New Jersey (report with video). For some good photos and a couple of videos see this New Jersey Advance Media April 23rd article, the information in the article is not current but the photos and the video are worth seeing

Direct link to NJFFS April 25th 10:22 AM Facebook Post

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Increased Risk of Wildfires

Direct link to April 25th post on Facebook by the NJ Forest Fire Service

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ

409 AM EDT Fri Apr 25 2025

NJZ001-007>010-012-013-015>022-027-PAZ054-055-060>062-070-071-

101>106-252300-

Sussex-Warren-Morris-Hunterdon-Somerset-Middlesex-

Western Monmouth-Mercer-Salem-Gloucester-Camden-

Northwestern Burlington-Ocean-Cumberland-Atlantic-

Southeastern Burlington-Carbon-Monroe-Berks-Lehigh-Northampton-

Delaware-Philadelphia-Western Chester-Eastern Chester-

Western Montgomery-Eastern Montgomery-Upper Bucks-Lower Bucks-

Including the cities of Newton, Washington, Morristown,

Flemington, Somerville, New Brunswick, Freehold, Trenton,

Pennsville, Glassboro, Camden, Cherry Hill, Moorestown,

Mount Holly, Jackson, Millville, Hammonton, Wharton State Forest,

Jim Thorpe, Stroudsburg, Reading, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton,

Media, Philadelphia, Honey Brook, Oxford, West Chester,

Kennett Square, Collegeville, Pottstown, Norristown, Lansdale,

Chalfont, Perkasie, Morrisville, and Doylestown

409 AM EDT Fri Apr 25 2025

...Increased Risk of Rapid Fire Spread This Afternoon...

There is an increased risk for rapid fire spread this afternoon

across portions of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Minimum

relative humidity values will be around 25 to 35 percent combined

with southerly winds of 10 to 15 mph with gusts near 20 mph. High

temperatures will be in the mid 70s to near 80 degrees. These

conditions, along with the continued drying of fine fuels, could

support the rapid spread of any fires that ignite, which could

quickly become difficult to control.

Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged. Be sure to properly

extinguish or dispose of any potential ignition sources, including

smoking materials such as cigarette butts.

$$

Staarmann

Special Weather Statement

National Weather Service New York NY

332 AM EDT Fri Apr 25 2025

NJZ002-004-006-103>108-252300-

Western Passaic-Eastern Passaic-Hudson-Western Bergen-

Eastern Bergen-Western Essex-Eastern Essex-Western Union-

Eastern Union-

332 AM EDT Fri Apr 25 2025

...ELEVATED THREAT OF WILDFIRE SPREAD TODAY...

A dry air mass will combine with southerly winds to create

conditions more conducive for fire spread late this morning into

this afternoon.

Relative humidity is expected to decrease to around 30 percent

during this time, while wind gusts increase to 20 mph. These

conditions would likely aid fire spread if ignition occurs.

This forecast considers meteorological, fuel, and land conditions

and has been developed in coordination with state fire and land

management officials.

Listen to NOAA All Hazards Weather Radio or visit our web Site at

http://weather.gov/nyc for further details or updates.

$$

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Jones Rd Fire April 24 updates

 

Direct link to April 24th 9:02 AM NJFFS Facebook Post

There are two updates in this post, both dated April 24th, 10:19 AM and 7:40 PM. Scroll down for the 7:40 PM update.

April 24th, 10:19 AM

Since I last reported on the Jones Road Fire (Greenwood Lakes Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County) on April 23rd  the acreage burned has grown to 15,000 acres and remains at 50 percent containment. All evacuation orders were lifted the morning of April 23rd. There are currently eight threatened structures down from twenty. No residences have been destroyed but one commercial building and some out buidlings were destroyed. Only unimproved roads with the fire perimeter are closed, all other roads are now open. A Waretown man has been charged with aggravated arson and arson in connections with the Jones Road Fire. A damage assessment is being conducted. The NJFFS remains on the scene with engines, bulldozers, helicopters and groundcrews.

Direct link to April 24th 10:19 AM NJFFS Facebook Post

April 24th, 7:40 PM

The Jones Fire has burned 15,250 acres and remains at fifty percent containment. Only unimproved roads within the fire perimeter are closed, all other roads are open. Four structures are threatened down from eight earlier today. The NJFFS is on the scene with engines, bulldozers, groundcrews and helicopters.

Direct link to April 24th 7:40 PM NJFFS Facebook Post

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Jones Rd Fire April 23rd mid-day and early evening updates

Direct link to video from 6 ABC Philadelphia on YouTube

Direct link to NJFFS April 23rd 12:49 PM Facebook Post

There are four updates from the NJFFS in this post, 10:50 AM, 1:14 PM, 4:43 PM and 7:18 PM, scroll down to see the later updates. I have made two earlier posts on this fire, the first one, on April 22nd, is here, and the second one (April 22nd evening and April 23rd early morning updates) may be found at this link.

April 23rd, 10:50 AM

Progress! The Jones Road Fire has burned 11,500 acres, up from 8.500 last night and is currently at 30 percent containment. Twenty structures are threatened and all  evacuations that were in place during the evening of April 22nd have been lifted. No homes have been destroyed but one commercial building has been destroyed along with several outbuildings and vehicles. A damage assessment is underway and the cause of the fire is under investigation. The Garden State Parkway and Route 9 are reopened but local road closures remain in the fire area. The New Jersey State Forest Fire Service is being assisted by local, county, and state responders. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is on the scene with engines, bulldozers. aircraft and groundcrews and are assisted by state, county and local responders.This wildfire has the potential to be the largest wildfire in New Jersey in twenty years. News 12 New Jersey continues to report on this fire, here is a link to their latest report with videos and 6 ABC Philadelphia is also reporting on the fire. Finally, New Jersey Advance Media is reporting on this fire.  As I said in my earlier update, there are other media outlets as well as reports on social media on this fire.

Direct link to NJFFS April 23rd 10:50 AM post on Facebook.

April 23rd, 1:14 PM

The only changes since the 10:50 AM update is that acreage burned has increased to 12,000 acres and containment has increased to 35 percent. It is nice to see that progress is being made in fighting this fire.

Direct link to NJFFS April 23rd 1:14 PM Facebook Post

April 23rd, 4:43 PM

Progress continues. With this update acreage burned has increased to 12,500 acres and the fire is now 40 percent contained. There are eighteen threatened structures down from twenty. Local road closures in the fire area remain in effect. A damage assessment is underway and the cause of the fire is under investigation. The NJFFS estimates that the Jones Road Fire containment area will be 15,410 acres at full containment. 

Direct link to NJFFS April 23rd 4:43 PM Facebook Post

April 23rd, 7:18 PM

Acreage burned has increased to 13,250 acres with containment increasing to 50 percent. So progress in fighting the fire continues. There are twenty structures threatened but there are no evacuations. Local road closures in the fire area continue. Kudos to the NJ Forest Fire Service crews on the ground and in the air and local, county and state responders. 

Direct link to NJFFS April 23rd 7:18 PM Facebook Post

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Jones Road Wildfire April 22nd evening and April 23rd early morning updates

April 22, 8:10 PM

Direct link to video from CBS 2 New York on YouTube 

The Jones Road Wildfire has grown to 3,200 acres and is at 5 percent containment. 1,320 structures are threatened and there are mandatory evacuation orders in place for 3,200 residents.  There are several evacuation centers including the Southern Regional High School for people with pets. There are multiple road closures in the area of the fire including closures of the Garden State Parkway and Route 9. The NJ Forest Fire Service has engines, bulldozers and groundcrews on site assisted by local, county and state responders. An airtanker and helicopter flew the fire earlier today. According to New Jersey Advance Media's 9:19 PM updated report, portions Garden State Parkway has been reopened in both directions as of 9 PM and there is a power outage in the fire area when lines were de-engerized at the Oyster Creek substation at the request of the NJ Forest Fire Service. For my earlier reports on this fire go here.

Direct link to NJ Forest Fire Service's April 22nd 8:10 PM update on Facebook

April 22, 10:45 PM and April 23rd, 6:45 AM

The acreage burned by the Jones Road Fire has increased to 8,500 acres at 10:45 PM on April 22nd and is at 10 percent containment. At least three thousand residents were under mandatory evacuations with about 1,320 threatened. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

As I  write this update on April 23rd at 6:45 AM, media reports indicate that the Garden State Parkway and Route 9 have reopened, but local road closures are still in effect in and near the fire area. Here are three media reports updated on April 23rd: ABC 6 Philadelphia has a report with a video of Chopper 6 over the fire, News 12 New Jersey has a report with a video update and NJ Advance Media continues to report on the fire with a couple of short videos and photos. Both ABC 6 and News 12 are reporting that mandatory evacuations have been lifted. There are many reports on this fire on social media which I am not including here as well as coverage from other outlets in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and New York City. 

Direct link to NJ Forest Fire Service's April 22nd 10:45 PM update on Facebook

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Jones Road Wildfire in Ocean County

Scroll down for later updates.

April 22, 11:15 AM

Just before 11 AM my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page gave me a heads upon a newly reported wildfire on the Barnegat Township-Ocean Township border in Ocean County. I do not know any more information about this newly reported wildfire. I will update this post later on as I hear more information. 

April 22, 12:20 PM

Direct link to NJ Forest Fire Service Facebook post

April 22, 3:24 PM

As you can see from NJFFS Facebook posts below, the Jones Road Fire has burned 150 acres in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County. so far and is not contained. Structures are threatened and evacuation orders have been issued. There are some road closures near the fire. A 600-gallon airtanker and a helicopter with a 300 gallon are working the fire in support of the ground crews.

Direct link to NJFFS post on Facebook

Direct link to NJFFS post on Facebook

April 22, 5:06 PM

The acreage burned by the Jones Road Fire has grown to 1,200 acres and is not contained.  Sixteen structures are threatened and evacuation orders are in place. Some local roads in the fire area are closed and the Garden State Parkway is closed in both directions near Waretown. Three media reports: ABC6 Philadelphia with chopper 6 aerial footage of fire, News12 New Jersey with a video report on the fire, and NJ Advance Media with photos

Direct link to NJFFS post on Facebook

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Danny's Fire (April 21st)

The Danny's Fire continues to burn in the Peaslee Wildlife Management Area in Vineland, Cumberland County. At present 1,300 acres have burned and the fire remains at 75 percent containment. One road remains closed. There are no evacuations and no structures are threatened. For my earlier posts on this fire see my April 19th post and my April 20th post. Direct link to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service's 4:49 PM post on April 21st. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service remains on scene with engines, bulldozers, and groundcrews.

2025 Wildfire Season: Packerton Fire Carbon County PA

 

Direct link to video from NVP Media Services on YouTube

Some of you know that I am always interested in wildfires that happen in the Mid-Atlantic area of the United States because this is my home. I came across the video about the Packerton Fire in Jim Thorpe (Carbon County) Pennsylvania, that I am sharing with you while I was on YouTube this morning. I wanted to know more and found out that this fire started on Saturday and has burning  450 to 600 acres and is about 15 percent contained as I write this. Due to dry condtions it could take up to a week to extinguish the fireAs an aside, I enjoyed seeing helos and air tankers working the fire and I know that they are helping the crews on the ground, For more information see these media reports 

• April 20th report from 69 News
• ABC27 News
• TimesNewsOnline published on April 21st.

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Danny's Fire (April 20th)

April 20th, 12:17 PM

I wrote about the Danny's Fire in my April 19th Post. To review, the Danny's Fire was first reported in the early afternoon of April 18th in the Peaselee Wildlife Management Area in Vineland, Cumberland County. Acreage burned has increased slightly to 1,250 acres and remains at 75 percent containment. There is one new road closure in the fire area, roads that were closed earlier are now reopened.. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service remains on scene with engines, bulldozers, and groundcrews. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Direct link to April 20th 12:17 PM post on Facebook by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

2025 New Jersey Wildfire Season: Danny's Fire, Cumberland County

April 19, 10:19 AM

Yesterday evening I first learned of the Danny’s Fire from the NJ Forest Fire Service’s Facebook page. As I understand it, the Danny’s Fire was first reported on April 18th in the early afternoon. As I write this post, the Danny’s fire has burned 1,000 acres in the Peaslee Wildlife Management Area in Vineland, Cumberland County, It is currently at 50 percent containment, There are no evacuations and no structures are threatened. Two roads in the fire area are closed. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) is on the scene with engines. bull dozers and ground crews. There is a NJFFS helicopter on scene making observations. Direct link to the April 19th 10:19 AM NJFFS post on Facebook

The B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page https://www.sectionb10.org is currently reporting on the Danny’s Fire. Among the media outlets reporting on the Danny's Fire are NJ Advance Media, 6 ABC Philadelphia, and News12 New Jersey 

April 19th 3:27 PM

The Danny's Fire has burned 1,200 acres and is at 75 percent containment. All roads are now open. The NJFFS remains on scene with engines, bull dozers and ground crews. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Direct link to the April 19th 3:27 PM NJFFS post on Facebook

2025 Spring Training: Coulson C-130 Stall Training

I know from my reading on aviation and flying that any pilot (or crew) needs to know how their aircraft reacts in a stall and how they can get out of a stall. Simply, a stall happens when the wings lose lift making it difficult for the aircraft to continue to fly. Airflow over the wings is crucial for the wings to maintain lift and continue flying. In a stall, the necessary airflow over the wings to keep the wing flying is no longer there. Each aircraft has different ways to counteract the stall and keep the aircraft in the air so it is good that spring training in the airtanker business includes stall training and recovery from stalls. Go to this report by the Pilot Institute to read more about stalls.

I was not surprised to see this Facebook Post from Coulson Aviation on stall training as a part of their 2025 spring training (direct link to Coulson Aviation's Facebook post on stall training).

Airtankers Starting to be Deployed for 2025 Wildfire Season

 The 2025 wildfire season has been underway for a few weeks now. As airtanker and helicopter companies finish annual maintenance on their aircraft they are beginning to deploy their aircraft as specified by their contracts (sorry I have no information on the 2025 tanker and helo contracts, see note 1 for more information). I rely on social media to learn what some contractors are doing and am aware that there is information about what individual contractors are doing that I don't have access to. I applaud the work that all contractors flying aircraft to support wildland firefighters on the ground during this wildfire season.

I have information about Neptune Aviation and 10 Tanker Air Carrier. 

According to a recent Facebook post by Neptune Aviation one of their tankers, Tanker 10, was deployed to a tanker base in Colorado Springs yesterday.

10 Tanker Air Carrier's, Tanker 914, has already been flying wildfires. The most recent wildfire T914 worked is the Apron Fire, here is a direct link to their Facebook post which I share below.

T 914 also worked wildfires in North and South Carolina a few weeks ago. (direct link)

Note 1: Thanks to Bill Gabbert's August 14, 2023 post on Fire Aviation (Bill died over a year ago) and his follow-up post on August 17, 2023 on the Forest Services 2023 one-year contract with an option for nine more years. Five companies were awarded a contract for a minimum of 10,000 each year: 10 Tanker Air Carrier LLC,  Aero Air LLC, Aero Flite Inc, Coulson Aviation USA, Inc, and Neptune Aviation, Inc. I do not know the status of the 2025 contracts, perhaps it is too early in the year to know the status of the 2025 contracts. Thanks to Bill linking to Govconwire and searching on "Forest Service", I found information on the following Forest Service Contracts, all are for a potential of ten years: Type1 helicopters in October 2024 to 38 vendors, Type2 helicopters in August 2023 to 44 companies, and Type 3 helicopters in April 2023 to 41 companies. 

Coulson Aviation Acquired Four C-130's from New Zealand

Coulson currently has six C-130 airtankers. As you can see from the above news release (direct link to news release), Coulson has purchase four C-130's from New Zealand. After Coulson has converted these four C-130s  to C-130 airtankers with the RADS-XXL tank system Coulson will have a fleet of ten C-130 airtankers.

To learn more about the C-130 airtanker and its conversion watch the video below.

Direct link to video from Coulson Aviation on YouTube

In memory of PBY4 Tanker 123

 

PBY4 Tanker 123 crashed in the summer of 2002 while fighting the Big Elk Fire in Colorado. I remember reading about this crash a few years ago,  very sad. So on a bit of a sad note, I share a video called the Last Flight of 123 by Black Irish Band, gone but not forgotten. Let us not forget the danger involved in flying tankers and helicopters on wildfires. Kudos to all pilots and groundcrews

Tankers and Helos Getting Ready for 2025 Wildfire Season

The 2025 Wildfire Season is here and companies that fly airtankers, helicopters, and lead planes continue to get ready for the fire season. Of importances is annual spring training as demonstrated in the video below from Neptune Aviation on Facebook, go here for the direct link. To the best of my knowledge all companies flying tankers and helicopters for wildland firefighting conduct annual spring training, spring training may be a part of their contract. 

Below are some images of spring training from Coulson Aviation's Facebook page, here is a direct link

Coulson Aviation's Tanker 132, a C-130, is finished her duties in Australia where she was helping the Australian's fight fires in their summer season. Tanker 132 is on her way back to Coulson's base in Thermal California where she will undergo maintenance in preparation for the 2025 Wildfire Season in the United States here. Unfortunately, I am unable to embed the video because it contains content owned by someone else. I hope you go directly to Facebook where you can watch this short video of Tanker 132's flight back to the United States. However, I did find a six-year old video on Coulson's YouTube channel about spring training that I am embedding below.

Direct link to Video from Coulson Aviation on YouTube

Note: to the best of my knowledge you should be able to see the embedded content from Facebook on all of your devices unless you have browser settings that do not allow this content.

2025 Wildfire Season: South Korea Wildfires (April 5th)

 I posted about the devastating wildfires burning in South Korea on March 26th, the video from FirstPost in South Africa that I embedded above is an update on the wildfires in South Korea, reported on or about April 5th. The video is over seven minutes long, the segment relating to the South Korean wildfires ends at about 6 minutes 17 seconds into the video.

Direct link to video report from First Post on YouTube

2025 Wildfire Season: Large Airtankers Worked Recent Wildfires in North and South Carolina

Airtankers and helicopters on federal contracts are a national resource. While most of these firefighting aircraft and lead aircraft work in the western United States, any State Forest Service can request the help of these firefighting aircraft. I try to pay attention to when any airtankers are working wildfires on the east coast. I wrote about Super Scoopers from Bridger Aerospace helping out in North Carolina on March 31  Today I am focusing on large airtankers that helped fight these wildfires. I am grateful to see that both Neptune Aviation Services and !0 Tanker Air Carrier recently worked wildfires that burned in North and South Carolina. While I have read that there were numerous helicopters with buckets working these fires and helicopters can do a lot of good in helping the wildland firefighters on the ground, it is always helpful to have the help of larger airtankers such as those from 10 Tanker Air Carrier and Neptune Aviation. I am glad that both companies had large airtankers available to help out both states. Neptune Aviation’s Bae-146 can drop up to 3,000 gallons of retardant and 10 Tankers DC-10’s can drop up to 9,400 gallons of retardant.

Note: I embedded two images from Facebook below this paragraph, one from the North Carolina Forest Service showing a BAe0-146 airtanker from Neptune Aviation's working a wildfire and the other from 10 Tanker. If you can not see these images, either because you are using a cellphone or for other reasons,  Neptune Aviation’s post may be found here, and 10 Tanker’s post may be found on this page. 

2025 Wildfire Season: Tablerock Wildfire & other Wildfires in North Carolina

Direct link to video from WLOS News 13 on YouTube.

I have been aware of the many wildfires burning in North and South Carolina for several days. I spent some time in North Carolina outside of Asheville several years ago and still remember the beautiful country in the mountains and valleys in western North Carolina, and I am saddened by these wildfires. The video that I shared above highlights several of the wildfires currently burning in North and South Carolina where recent rains have helped wildland firefighters achieve higher containment levels. Thanks to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page who shared this video on their website today.

One of the wildfires of note that I have heard of through my news feed is the Table Rock Fire that has currently burned 15,642 acres in northern South Carolina and bordering North Carolina. As I write this post, it is at 70 percent containment and is caused by humans. The fire was first reported on March 24th.

Direct link to video from Carolina Fox on YouTube