reflections on prescribed burns in New Jersey

Direct link to Feb 2024 video from the NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection on YouTube 

Direct link to Feb 2017 video from NJ.com on YouTube

For the last 17 years I have devoted this blog to aerial wildland firefighting and related issues. As many of you know, I am neither a wildland firefighter or a pilot, but I try to honor both firefighters and pilots and support staff flying aircraft in aerial operations over wildfires. One of the things I learned early on in writing this blog was the New Jersey Forest Fire Service's (NJFFS) prescribed burn season for a few weeks in February of each year, they have been conducting prescribed burns since 1928. On their prescribed burning page the NJFFS discusses the history of prescribed fire in NJ, planning for prescribed fires, preparation, executing the prescribed burn, smoke management and wildfire in New Jersey. I have a lot of respect for the careful planning, preparation, execution, and smoke management as the NJFFS takes time to plan and prepare for a prescribed burn before they execute the burn, this includes the important aspect of smoke management.

I know that NJFFS conducts many prescribed burns in and around the Pinelands in central and souther New Jersey, and have sign their signage when I was visiting the Pinelands as I drove by areas where they were conducting prescribed burns. I live in northern New Jersey and I know for a fact that they conduct prescribed burns in northern New Jersey both in and around the forested areas in the Delaware Water Gap and as well as forested or grassy lands. Just last year as I was driving by a grassy field several miles from my house I saw signage that the NJFFS was conducting a prescribed burn. During the prescribed burn season, they post notices on their website on a prescribed burning dashboard on their website.

I shared two short videos at the beginning of this post about prescribed burns in New Jersey, please take a few minutes to take a look at these videos.

P.S. I continue to read When it All Burns by Jordan Thomas and am currently reading about prescribed burns in chapter 14 of his book. Reading what Thomas has written about prescribed burns in California and other western States inspired me to write today's posts on my reflections on prescribed burns in New Jersey