NJ Takes Action to Address Mounting Wildfire Risks

BURLINGTON COUNTY – In anticipation of an especially risky spring wildfire season, Governor Phil Murphy and Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn LaTourette have unveiled NJ Wildfire SMART—a set of wide-ranging measures emphasizing fire safety, mitigation, awareness, response, and training across New Jersey. The initiative responds to prolonged dry conditions stretching back to late last summer and the growing threat posed by climate change, which is lengthening wildfire seasons and intensifying the risk of large-scale fires.

“New Jersey experienced significant dryness this past fall, resulting in an extended wildfire season throughout the state in 2024 and providing a sobering reminder that we must be prepared for the spring wildfire season,” said Governor Murphy. “It is more important than ever that we share information and continue to work collaboratively to protect lives, properties, and communities."

Pinelands Roundtable and Statewide Dry Conditions

Governor Murphy and Commissioner LaTourette hosted a roundtable in the Pinelands—New Jersey’s largest forested area and a hotspot for wildfires due to its sandy, porous soils. Because these soils retain moisture poorly, vegetation can become fire-prone mere hours after rainfall. With dry, windy weather typical between March and May, spring is historically the state’s peak for wildfire danger. As climate change influences temperature and precipitation patterns, forest lands are drying out faster, leaving them susceptible to more frequent and intense fires.

In fact, the DEP’s Forest Fire Service has responded to 884 wildfires since September 1, 2024—an abnormally dry period—burning a total of 4,945 acres, including nine “major wildfires” of 100 acres or more. Officials emphasize that a single spark in these conditions can quickly spiral into a widespread blaze.

“Preparedness is essential, especially as climate change continues to exacerbate the frequency and intensity of wildfires in New Jersey,” said Commissioner LaTourette. “We need to be even more vigilant going into the spring wildfire season and follow the actions of NJ Wildfire SMART, which will help mitigate wildfire risk statewide.

Components of NJ Wildfire SMART

1. Safety

• Proactive Preparedness: Residents, especially those in or near forested areas, are urged to reduce flammable vegetation. By raking leaves and removing pine needles within 30 feet of a structure—or 100 feet in the Pinelands—homeowners can create a protective “defensible space.”
• Everyday Precautions: Cigarette butts should be disposed of properly, and fireplace or wood stove ashes should be fully soaked in water before disposing them in a metal container to prevent smoldering embers.
• Ordinance Compliance: Fire trucks must be able to access driveways, meaning overgrown vegetation and tight pathways need to be cleared to ensure fire personnel can reach threatened properties.

2. Mitigation

• Prescribed Burns: The Forest Fire Service systematically burns excess undergrowth in designated areas when conditions allow. This controlled practice reduces potential fuel for wildfires, improves wildlife habitat, and cuts down on insects and ticks.
• Fuel Breaks: Work crews create man-made barriers or firebreaks to slow or stop advancing wildfires, giving firefighters a critical advantage.
• Habitat and Tick Benefits: While the main aim is wildfire mitigation, these burns also help ecological balance by recycling nutrients and thinning out overcrowded vegetation.

3. Awareness

• NJ Fire Danger Dashboard: This online resource (at njwildfire.org) displays real-time fire risk by county and highlights any active campfire restrictions.
• New Jersey Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (NJWRAP): A repository of data and preparedness guidance for residents and community leaders, including hazard maps and strategies for reducing wildfire threat in local neighborhoods.
• Social Media Updates: For “major wildfires” (100 acres or more) and those threatening property or causing road closures, the Forest Fire Service provides timely notifications and updates on platforms like Facebook and X.

4. Response

• Early Detection via Fire Towers: A network of 21 towers—each staffed by trained Fire Observers—scans the horizon for smoke. Observers triangulate the source and dispatch crews within minutes, often well before 9-1-1 calls begin.
• Incident Command and Rapid Deployment: Local fire agencies may assist with water supply or structural defense, while Forest Fire Service personnel focus on containing and extinguishing the main blaze.
• Fleet of Aircraft: Helicopters (including three Bell UH-1H for water drops) and fixed-wing planes (like Cessnas) aid in spotting and suppressing fires from the air. The Forest Fire Service occasionally contracts larger aircraft capable of dropping hundreds of gallons of water in a single pass.

5. Training

• National Leadership in Prescribed Fire: New Jersey’s Pine Barrens ecosystem draws firefighters, students, scientists, and researchers from across the country to study wildfire management and the region’s unique fire-adaptive plant species.
• Out-of-State Aid: For nearly 40 years, New Jersey’s Forest Fire Service has assisted other states with dangerous wildfires, from Alaska to Florida to California. These deployments help local crews earn national certifications and bring back best practices to protect New Jersey’s communities.

“The Forest Fire Service works year-round protecting New Jersey communities from the threat of wildfires,” said Greg McLaughlin, Administrator for Forests & Natural Lands. “In addition to protecting lives and property, the Forest Fire Service assists with natural disasters, maintains hundreds of miles of roads, works alongside multiple cooperators to develop and implement strategic plans that reduce the risk of future wildfires, and lends their talents to other states when wildfires strike.”

Urgency of the Moment

With dryness intensifying and 2025’s spring season already underway, officials warn that vigilance and cooperation are critical. “It only takes a spark—someone tossing a lit cigarette or an unattended debris burn—for a major wildfire to erupt,” Commissioner LaTourette cautioned. Governor Murphy underscores that NJ Wildfire SMART is about safeguarding communities, landscapes, and the Garden State’s natural heritage from the increasingly frequent and severe fires fueled by climate change.

For detailed information on wildfire prevention, current fire restrictions, and ongoing mitigation projects, residents can visit njwildfire.org or follow the Forest Fire Service’s social media channels for immediate updates.

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