A Short Close Look at New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B (June 2021) Operations

Direct link to June 2021 video from PintheQ Podcast on YouTube

As regular readers no doubt know, one of the ways that I, who is not a wildland firefighter, can get a closer look at wildland firefighting is through videos. The video that I shared above is from PintheQ Podcast. The video from June 2021 is less than five minutes and you will see images and short videos of New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) wildland firefighters on the ground as well as aerial resources. Enjoy this closer look at the wildfire operations by the NJFFS in central New Jersey. Thanks again to my friends at the B10 NJ Wildland Fire Page for sharing this video on their website in late October of 2025.

New Jersey Forest Fire Service Tribute (2021)

I was poking around on YouTube just now looking for a video showcasing the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) and lo and behold, I found this nice tribute video put together by my friends at the New Jersey Forest Fire Service Section B10. While the name of the video is "New Jersey Fire Service 2021 Tribute, I believe that you will see photographs and videos from other years. I post this in thanksgiving for all the work that the NJFFS does to work wildfires on the ground and in the air to keep New Jersey residents an businesses as safe as possible from wildfires. 

Direct link to video from New Jersey Forse Fire Service Section B10 on YouTube

Suspected arsonist charged with setting wildfires in Ocean County, NJ

After a thorough investigation by the Ocean County (NJ) Prosecutor, an alleged arsonist accused of setting six fires in Ocean County NJ over eight months -- from May 16 2021 through Jan 21, 2022 was arrested on Monday, January 31st. A press release from the Ocean County Prosecutor may be found here. The fires were: Little Egg Harbor on May 16th (617 acres), Manchester and Lakewood on December 1, Little Egg Harbor on December 8, and Lakewood on January 21, 2022. There were no injuries. The alleged arsonist is charged with 25 counts of aggravated arson. Thanks to Mike Archer who shared this article from New Jersey Advance Media on the arrest of the alleged arsonist in his February 2nd Wildfire News of the Day Newsletter. I found another article on the Asbury Park Press (paywall) dated February 2nd. 

These charges are accusations, pending a trial in a court of law. 

2021 NJ wildfire season: Bass River Fire Tower’s role in Little Egg Harbor wildfire

One of the New Jersey Forest Fire Towers whose observer played a crucial role in spotting the Ballanger Fire that burned 617 acres on May 16th and 17th near Little Egg Harbor Township (Burlington and Ocean Counties), NJ was the Bass River Tower located in Bass River State Forest in the New Jersey Pinelands (aka the NJ Pine Barrens). According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (go here for link to the NJFFS page on fire towers), The Bass River Fire Tower (located in NJFFS Division B) was built in 1937 and is 80 feet tall. Before I get the important role of this fire tower in spotting the Ballanger Fire, a little history is in order.

Up until early 2020, the Bass River Fire Tower was surrounded on three sides by 80 to 100 foot tall White Pines, planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps. In recent years, these trees had grown to a height blocking the views from the cab of the fire tower in three directions (east, north and south). This made spotting some wildfires from this fire tower very difficult. A few years ago, the NJ Department of Environmental Protection -- the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is under the umbrella of the DEP -- started the process to get approvals to clear cut about 16 acres of tree around the fire tower to improve the view from the cab of the fire tower. Objections to clear cutting were raised by citizens, some local government officials, and some environmental organizations (including the Sierra Club) resulting in a delay in getting the necessary approvals. In 2019,  the Pinelands Commission approved the clear cutting plan and clear cutting operations began in January of 2020. You may read more about the clear cut on this January 2020 article in the Atlantic City Press (paywall with a couple of free views).

Once the clear cut was completed, sometime in 2020, there were good views in 360 degrees from the cab of the Bass River Fire Tower. The importance of this controversial clear cut was highlighted by the fact that the observer in the Bass River Fire Tower was able to spot the Ballanger Fire fairly quickly after the fire ignited on May 16th. There is a nice article from the by Douglas D. Melegari of the Pinebarrens Tribune about the role of the Bass River Fire Tower's observers on May 16th. He quotes Trevor Raynor, warden from NJFFS Section B:

In January of last year, the clear-cut finally took place, and the role the Bass River Fire Tower played in detecting the May 16 “Ballanger Fire” that consumed 617 acres of the Bass River State Forest in both Bass River and Little Egg Harbor townships, according to NJFFS Section B Firewarden Trevor Raynor, in response to a question posed by this newspaper during a May 18 NJFFS teleconference with the media, “was super important.”

 

“This fire tower was only a few miles away (from the blaze) and was able to detect this fire quickly and avert disaster, honestly,” Raynor said. “If we used any other system, or relied on 911 for this fire’s detection, by the time that this fire would have been detected and reported (to us) by 911 (dispatch), it would have been at the back of people’s houses, and then it would have been too late, and surely there would have been damage to homes.” 

 

 

Kudos to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for a job well done (May16-18 wildfires)

I want to give a shout out, as I can via this blog, to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service for your hard work fighting two wildfires in New Jersey the past three days, the Ballanger Fire and the Turkey Buzzard Fire, both are now contained with no property damage and no injuries reported. You stayed safe. Would if I could be in the fire area with a sign of thank-you and perhaps some goodies to express my gratitude for a job well done. But that is not possible, so this will have to do. Thankfully you contained both fires quickly so perhaps time away from your loved ones was minimal. I know that some of you are patrolling the area with the fires burned to do mop up duty and to be sure that the containment lines hold. While dry and with low relative humidity (for New Jersey), the winds are calm. That is a blessing. 

And while crews were working the Ballanger And Turkey Buzzard Fires, other NJFFS crews were and still are working other wildfires elsewhere in the State. 

As I can and as is appropriate, I am not shy in telling all how proud I am of all of you in the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, your contractors, mutual aid responders and various supporting agencies. It brought a tear to my eye to know that local fire companies were on the scene to provide assistance. 

In closing, I want to share a short video from CBS3 in Philadelphia reporting on both wildfires. The video report appears to have been made before the Turkey Buzzard Fire was contained.

Direct link to video from CBS3 in Philadelphia

2021 NJ wildfire season: wildfire in Brendon T Byrne State Forest (Burlington) Contained

Just now hearing that the Turkey Buzzard Fire that burned 407 acres in the Brendon T. Byrne State Forest in Burlington County, NJ has been contained. The Batona Trail in the fire area remains closed, roads are open. 

I want to give a shout out to the NJ Forest Fire Service for a job well done in fighting these two back to back wildfires. I am so very, very proud of you. You take good care of us in New Jersey.

2021 NJ wildfire season: Little Egg Harbor Twnshp Fire Contained

Yesterday I wrote about a wildfire in Little Egg Harbor Township, that my friends from NJFFS Section B10 call the Ballenger Fire. This fire is at 100% containment. No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported. Evacuations were voluntary, not mandatory.

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today wrote an article on this fire on May 17th including an excellent map of the fire and a list of resources. I would suggest that you look at Bill's article to look at his mapping of the fire.

2021 NJ wildfire season: wildfire in Brendon T Byrne State Forest (Burlington)

Thanks a good friend who gave me a heads up about a second wildfire in New Jersey. A wildfire, known as the Turkey Buzzard Fire, was reported at about 10:20 PM on Monday, May 17th in the Brendon T. Byrne State Forest in Pemberton NJ (Burlington County). It has burned about 407 acres, and according to a NJ Advance Media report (May 18th) is at approximately 50% containment. Portions of a popular hiking trail, the Batona Trail remain closed. This is the second wildfire in two days, the first one being the Ballanger Fire in Little Egg Harbor Township that is now at 100% containment. No structures have been damaged in either fire and no injuries have been reported.

I thank my friends from NJFFS Section B-10 for the names of these two wildfires. 

CBS3 in Philadelphia has a short report with a brief video on the wildfire in the Brendon T. Byrne State Forest. 

2021 NJ wildfire season: Little Egg Harbor Twnshp Fire Update

I would like to follow-up on the post I made earlier today on the wildfire in Little Egg Harbor Township -- known as the Ballanger Fire -- on the border of Ocean and Burlington Counties in New Jersey. Here is an evening update from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Residences are no longer threatened and all roads are open. A NJ Forest Fire Service helicopter flew over the fire, I do not know if it was an observation helicopter or if it made bucket drops. Thanks to my friends at NJFFS Section B10 for the name of this wildfire.

Corrected on May 18th to say that at the time I wrote the article I did not know if the helicopter was observation only or making bucket drops. I just read Bill Gabbert's May 17th article where he reported that the helicopter was making observation flights. Thank-you Bill!

2021 NJ wildfire season: Little Egg Harbor Twnshp (Ocean) wildfire

10:16 AM update Thanks to 6ABC (WPVI), I just now listened to the Press Conference (live) from the NJ Forest Fire Service. I amm not sure if 6ABC has had a chance to update their report yet, but I took notes. Thanks to the efforts of the wildland firefighters last night, the acreage burned has been decreased to 617 acres at about 40 percent containment. Route 9 is reopened but I believe that local roads may still be closed. Thirty houses are threatened, down from 75 last night. They are hopeful for higher containment later today.

At about 11:45 AM 6ABC (WPVI) has updated their story to include a video from the NJFFS 10 AM press conference, see the link above. It appears that they are updating this report as the day progresses. In addition, NJ Advance Media published a second article at about 11:40 AM. Since I was relying on my notes when I wrote the paragraph above, I am relieved that they too reported that Route 9 has reopened and that there are thirty houses that are threatened. I will continue to monitor news of the wildfire, as I can through the afternoon.

9:47 AM Thanks to a breaking news alert from NJ Advance Media that I received this morning (May 17th), I learned of a wildfire in Little Egg Harbor Township on the border of Burlington and Ocean Counties. This wildfire was first reported yesterday afternoon at about 4 PM by the Bass River Fire Tower. On Sunday night it was estimated to have burned about 70 acres, by this morning the estimate of burned acreage had grown to about 1,000 acres. Voluntary evacuations are in place and an evacuation center has been set up at a local school. The fire is burning east of the Garden State Parkway with sections of Route 9, a major thoroughfare in the area, reported as being closed. No injuries have been reported. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service and local fire companies are working the fire.

6ABC (WPVI) in Philadelphia has a report this morning with a video that I will try to embed below. As always, I am never quite sure how long this video will be accessible, but it should be accessible for a few days. Full report from 6ABC (May 17th, 7:39 AM) including video. The Atlantic City Press is also covering this fire, their May 17th article may be found here (may have a paywall).

Firefighter with medical emergency during Lakewood Fire (March 2021) goes home

The firefighter that had a medical emergency during the Lakewood Fire (March 15, 2021). I wondered what had happened to him but heard no news. I figured that no news was good news. And it was.

I saw on a few social media accounts that the firefighter with the medical emergency, Brian Sauers, was released from the hospital on Friday, April 23rd. Brian is a 40-year veteran of the East Dover (NJ) Volunteer Fire Company and the NJ Forest Fire Service. The Asbury Park Press (paywall, but you get a couple of free articles) has a nice article on Brian's release from the hospital that you may find here (with photos). 

I was moved to see the response from the NJ Forest Fire and local fire companies lining up to greet him as he was released from the hospital. So nice to see a motorcade honoring and celebrating the living.

Direct link to video from New Jersey Shore Fire Response

A rainy and overcast day during spring wildfire season in New Jersey

Due to a rainy day, we are perhaps having a short respite during our spring wildfire season in New Jersey. I am pretty sure that the lookout towers are not staffed today and the contract aircraft may have an off day as well. It rained yesterday and it looks showers at least through the middle of the week. Nonetheless, depending on the location and the soil types, the soil can dry out pretty quickly. I know that even though the fire danger here in New Jersey is currently low, we are protected by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and their mutual aid partners should the unforeseen wildfire start. And whether or not the rest of our spring fire season is wet or dry remains to be seen. Of course, wildfires do not follow a calendar, and dependent on rain and/or snowfall, can happen most any time of year. 

Today, as we have a short respite in our spring wildfire season, I want to share a three-minute video tribute to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Perhaps I have shared this before, and if so, reruns are always good. Enjoy

Direct link to video

2021 NJ wildfire season: Lakewood/Brick wildland fire was intentionally set

 Sadly, an investigation wildfire that burned in Lakewood and adjoining Brick Township in Ocean County NJ on March 14 to 15 was set intentionally. See this March 19th article from NJ Advance Media and this press release (Facebook) from the Ocean County Prosecutor's office for more information. 

2021 wildfire season: a word about other brush fire activity in NJ in early March

 While I was focusing early this week on the brush fire that burned 167 acres in Lakewood NJ (see for example my late afternoon article on March 15th), I was aware that there were many smaller brush fire in New Jersey last week. As I write this on March 19th, it seems that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is in the process of updating their website. They are pretty good at statistics, so I am sure that in a few weeks, they will have fire statistics on their website. News reports on other brush fire activity is scarce but I did save a link to a New Jersey Advance Media report from March 15th on multiple brush fires in New Jersey. I did see, but failed to save reports about multiple brush fires in New Jersey last week. So, you'll have to trust me. I write this to give a shout out to all the New Jersey Forest Fire Service wildland firefighters, mutual aid responders, and contract aircraft who worked brush fires large and small. Thank-you for your past service and for your service in the coming weeks and months to keep us in New Jersey safe from wildfires. The spring wildfire season in New Jersey is or soon will be upon us here in New Jersey. Who knows what this spring wildfire season will bring. But we in New Jersey are in good hands.

When the New Jersey Forest Fire Service finishes updating their website, I will write about on this blog, so stay tuned.

2021 NJ wildfire season: brush fire in Lakewood/Brick Township (follow-up, March 17)

I am so very proud of all the NJFFS firefighters, municipal aid firefighters, and contract aircraft for an absolutely great job containing this fire in 24 hours during Red Flag conditions. You honor us with your service so that we may be as safe as possible from wildfires. I spent an hour watching footage of you fighting the fire and saving homes and have read media reports of residents thanking you for saving their houses. It could have been a lot worse. I want to give a special shout out to the US National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly for your forecasts, you gave plenty of warning about the fire danger ensuring that firefighters knew what to expect.

You might be interested in two recent articles from New Jersey Advance Media :

• Firefighters saved my home with a photo gallery, March 15th.
• Homeless couple lost everything, March 17th

Here is a nice video from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, just under three minutes, about the brush fire that burned in Lakewood and Brick Township (Ocean County, NJ) on March 14-15. Greg McLaughlin, Chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service summarizes the recent brush fire. For those who are interested, I wrote three posts about this brush fire: March 14th, and two on March 15th (one in the morning and the second late afternoon).

Direct link to New Jersey Forest Fire Facebook post (I hope that this link works for you)

2021 NJ wildfire season: brush fire in Lakewood/Brick Township contained

At 5 PM the New Jersey Forest Fire Service released the following statement on their Facebook page, the statement may be found here.

WILDFIRE UPDATE - LAKEWOOD, NJ - 5:00 P.M.

As of 2 p.m. today, the Lakewood area wildfire is at 167 acres and has reached 100 percent containment. Cold temperatures overnight aided fire suppression efforts. The fire will continue to smolder in interior areas east of the Garden State Parkway, south of Cedar Bridge Avenue, and north of Route 70. Patrol and mop-up activities will continue through the remainder of the day and into the evening. All roadways in the vicinity of the fire are open.

The fire's cause is under investigation.

A New Jersey Forest Fire Service firefighter remains in critical condition at a nearby hospital. (obtained on March 15, 2021, 6:55 PM from https://www.facebook.com/NJForestFireService/posts/793660281256590)

Residents in Brick Township New Jersey where 29 homes were damaged by the fire, but not significantly, spoke to the Asbury Park Press on March 15:

Firefighters quickly extinguished the flames consuming the exterior of Verlingo's home. Police officers told him it was the first house fire called in to 911, he said.

"That's why they were able to knock it down so fast," he said. Verlingo was able to return to his home.

Jennifer Baum of Francis Drive felt the same way as Verlingo."We were very, very lucky," she said. "The fire didn’t even touch our house.”  

The blaze did destroy her shed, pool heater, and a section of fence, she said.

After her daughter Laura noticed on a neighborhood Facebook group that some of her neighbors smelled the fire, she went outside to see what was happening.

“You could smell it in the house a little bit, but it wasn’t that bad. Then we came outside and we could see the firemen racing down the street. You could see it starting from the woods (behind their home) and then like 20 minutes later, they (the firemen) were telling us that we needed to evacuate, so it was pretty fast."

 See also an article from New Jersey Advance Media, March 15, 5:35 PM

2021 NJ wildfire season: large fire in southern New Jersey (March 15th)

March 15, 3:15 PM

Around 3 PM the  the New Jersey Forest Fire Service provided an update that may be found here:

WILDFIRE UPDATE - LAKEWOOD, NJ

As of 9 a.m. today, the Lakewood area wildfire remains at 170 acres. Cold temperatures overnight aided fire suppression efforts. The fire will continue to burn and smolder in interior areas east of the Garden State Parkway, south of Cedar Bridge Avenue and north of Route 70. Patrol activities will continue throughout today. All roadways have been reopened. 

Two mixed-use professional/commercial structures and approximately eight outbuildings were destroyed by the fire. Additional property and improved property were damaged.

Residents in the affected areas are urged to stay away from impacted areas and emergency response activity. Drones of any kind interfere with the fire-fighting effort and are prohibited in the area. All evacuees have been permitted to return home. 

The fire's origin has been identified and the cause is under investigation, though we can state it was not from a prescribed burn as reported inaccurately online.

A New Jersey Forest Fire Service firefighter remains in critical condition at a nearby hospital. (obtained on March 15, 2021 at 3:20 PM from https://www.facebook.com/NJForestFireService/posts/793597087929576)

March 15, 1:15 PM

There are no new updates from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service about progress made this morning fighting the brush fire. Nor are there any updates about the hospitalized firefighter from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Media outlets (see list below) reporting that 29 residences were damaged. Recall that two commercial buildings were destroyed.

Bill Gabbert of Wildfire Today wrote a nice report this morning covering the fire including an eighteen minute video from Jersey Shore Response showing the initial response to the fire with radio feed. You will want to read Bill's article and watch the video.

Some of the recent media coverage of the fire in Lakewood. Note, kudos to New Jersey Advance Media as it was their text alert (I subscribe to one of their papers) that first alerted me to this fire, they have done a nice job covering this fire.

• New Jersey Advance Media (March 15) "Firefighters saved my home"
• News 12 New Jersey (March 15) with video report, photo gallery, and other photos from twitter
• Asbury Park Press (3 free articles then paywall) with video and photo gallery
• ABC6 Philadelphia (March 14 updated on March 15)
• The Daily Voice (Ocean County, March 15) with video that I embedded below

You will see some footage of the SEAT and the helicopter and bucket. See for example: 1:39, 2:58, 3:40 (helo dropping), 5:39 (helo dropping), 6:11 (SEAT dropping), 7:52 (helo). 8:52 (SEAT dropping), 9:19 (SEAT), and 10:36 (helo)

Direct link to 24 minute video from DemonRacer2

March 15, 7:35 AM

I'd like to start with a timely reminder from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, just posted on their Facebook page telling drone operators not to fly over wildfires.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service would like to remind you, never fly your UAS or Drone near or around a wildfire, no matter how large or small.Your actions may have devastating effects to firefighting aircraft and personnel on the fire. 

If you fly, WE can't!

 

I wrote yesterday about the 162+ acre brush fire burning in Lakewood and Brick NJ. I removed a link to some drone footage out of respect for the firefighters in the air because drones over wildfires can pose safety risks. 

Late last night, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service provided an update (about 11:30 PM)

WILDFIRE UPDATE - LAKEWOOD, NJ - 11:30 P.M.

As of 10:30 p.m. Sunday, the Lakewood area wildfire remains at 170 acres. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service (FFS) will continue suppression, patrol and mop-up operations throughout the night and support from local fire companies will be scaled back throughout Sunday night as containment increases. The origin has been identified and the cause is under investigation, though we can state it was not from a prescribed burn as reported inaccurately online.

Two mixed-use professional/commercial structures were destroyed by the fire. While the wildfire came close to residential areas, no homes were substantially damaged though some ancillary structures such as sheds were impacted. Residents in the affected areas are urged to stay away from impacted areas and emergency response activity. Drones of any kind interfere with the fire-fighting effort and are prohibited in the area. Brick Township residents who were evacuated began returning home at 7:00 p.m. Sunday.

A New Jersey Forest Fire Service firefighter is in critical condition at a nearby hospital.

Road closures and reopenings:

- Garden State Parkway is now reopened. The entrance to Garden State Parkway (north) at Shorrock Street will remain closed until morning re-evaluation.

- Route 528 has reopened

- Route 70 (one westbound lane from Cedar Bridge Ave to the Garden State Parkway will remain closed)

- All other ramps are reopened. 

(obtained at 7:35 AM on March 14, 2021 from a New Jersey Forest Fire Service update on their Facebook page.)

2021 NJ wildfire season: large wildfire in southern NJ (just in)

March 14 10:25 PM

At about 9:30 PM, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported:

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Forest Fire Service personnel and equipment are on scene and conducting suppression and backfiring operations in response to a wildfire in the Lakewood area. 

Initial reports indicate the fire is approximately 162 acres in size as of 6:30 p.m on Sunday, March 14. 

Two commercial structures are confirmed to be damaged. 

The wildfire has come close to residential areas, and residents in the Lakewood and Brick Twp. areas are urged to stay away from impacted areas and emergency response activity. (obtained at 10:25 PM on March 14, 2021 from https://www.facebook.com/NJForestFireService/posts/793125181310100

March 14 9 PM

A tweet from Lakewood News Network with some video  shot earlier this afternoon of the brush fire

HAPPENING NOW: Heavy brush fire in Lakewood Industrial Park has caused commercial buildings to go up in flames. Lakewood, state Forest Fire Service and mutual aid is on scene. Nearby businesses have been evacuated. pic.twitter.com/iGYa0vVPGL

— Lakewood News Network (@LakewoodNewsNet) March 14, 2021

 In an update to their earlier report, ABC6 in Philadelphia provided some updates and added a video. One newly added video features Maris Gabliks of the NJ Forest Fire Service who said the fire is at about 40 percent containment, evacuations were in place, structures were damaged, roadways were closed, the fire jumped the Garden State Parkway, two helicopters and a SEAT were working the fire, and one firefighter is injured. 

According to the Asbury Park Press (March 14), Caryn Shinsky from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection says that at 6:30 pm the fire was at 162 acres

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has posted about the fire on their Facebook page, unfortunately I am unable to link to their post. But as they update their page, I will summarize here.

March 14 5:25 PM

This just in, as I was mucking around with various settings and the like I this blog, I got an alert from NJ Advance Media about a large brush fire near Lakewood in southern New Jersey that has shut down the Garden State Parkway from mile marker 82 to 91. Red flag warnings are up through late Monday afternoon. I believe that the fire was reported somewhere around 1:30 pm this afternoon. Structures are burning. A single-engine air tanker and a helicopter with a bucket are deployed. As of 4 PM today, evacuations are in place in Brick. The New Jersey Advance Media March 14 article may be found here. No size information is available at this time.

ABC6 in Philadelphia (see this March 14th report) is reporting on the fire, see their video below. 

2021 NJ wildfire season: two wildfires in northwest New Jersey (March 12 and 13)

The information about the two brush fires that I write about here is possible because of information shared by the North Jersey Wildland Fire Association on March 14. They shared information from the local fire departments who responded which I share below. The Quakertown NJ Fire Company-91 Fire/Rescue responded to a brush fire in Hunterdon County on March 12, one of a few brush fires they have responded to in the last week. On March 13, the IAFF Local 4895 Hillsborough Fire Marshals reported on a 1.5 acre brush fire in Hillsborough, Somerset County NJ.

I always try to give you some options if your browser extensions block the embedded posts. I have been having trouble getting the links to the two fire companies public Facebook posts to work on some of my browsers, I am sorry if this affects you. To that end, I have provided a brief summary of each brush fire in the text. 

I am sure that there were other small wildfires in NJ over the last couple of days, I only know about these two brush fires.

I was out on a drive in rural New Jersey on Friday, March 12 with a friend and saw the response, including a NJFFS truck, to the wildfire below in Franklin Township, Hunterdon County NJ. See this short report from News12NJ, it seems that an arching power wire may have been the cause of this 3 acre wildfire with multiple fire departments and the NJFFS responding. Structure protection was in place, no damage to houses. The post that I embedded below is from the Quakertown NJ Fire Company-91 Fire/Rescue (March 12).

Yesterday, March 13, there was a small brush fire (1.5 acres) in Hillsborough, Somerset County NJ. The brush fire was near some railroad tracks. Multiple local fire departments and the NJFFS responded and the fire was put out. The IAFF Local 4895 Hillsborough Fire Marshals (March 13) shared about this brush fire in a post that I embed below.

2021 wildfire season: prescribed burning under way in New Jersey

With the attention that the need for prescribed burning in other areas of the United States, I am proud that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has been conducting prescribed burning for over eighty years. 

The 2021 prescribed burning season is underway in New Jersey. The NJ Forest Fire Services describes prescribed burning on their prescribed burning webpage:

... a prescribed burn is: "the skillful application of fire under exacting conditions of weather and fuel in a predetermined area, for a specific purpose to achieve specific results."

Since 1928, the Fire Service has used fire as a tool to protect the lives and property of our residents living near the forestlands of New Jersey. We do this by setting fires under exacting conditions to reduce the underbrush (the "fuel" for a fire), in areas that are prone to fire, or that may be located in a position where we feel we can defend against an oncoming wildfire. The use of fire in this way requires a level of skill and competence that we encourage through extensive, ongoing training.

The primary purpose of prescribed burning in New Jersey is to reduce the hazardous accumulations of forest fuels. This aids in the prevention of wildfires, reduces the intensity of the fires, and also provides a foundation for safer, more effective fire suppression and protection operations.

There is more about the New Jersey Forest Fire Service’s prescribed burning program in this NJ DEP April 2019 press release 

Thanks to a friend as well as the NJ Forest Fire Service’s Facebook posts (see their January 9th post on Facebook), I know about prescribed burns that were undertaken (weather permitting) on January 9th and 10th:

Division B

• Monmouth County, Manalapan, Monmouth Battlefield State Park
• Ocean County
• Berkeley, Double Trouble State Park
• Berkley, RJ Miller Air Par
• Stafford, Stafford Ridge WMA
• Woodland, Brendan T. Byrne State Forest; Pasadena WMA

On January 13th (see the January 13th NJ Forest Fire Service FB Post): prescribed burning is being conducted (weather dependent) as follows:

• Division A: Somerset County, Franklin Twp, John Clyde Preserve
• Division B: Burlington County, Washington Twp, Warton State Forest, Batsto Section: Burlington County, Washington Twp, Warton State Forest, Batsto Section