An increased risk of bushfires spreading remains on Monday as parts of the North East experience fires, wind and dry conditions – but there could be a reprieve with some much-needed rain later this week.
Parts of New York State and the Big Apple, New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts are at increased risk of wildfire spread on Monday due to northwest winds, minimal relative humidity and dry conditions.
Voluntary evacuations over the weekend of the city of Warwick and Wah Ta Wah Park in Greenwood Lake, New York, helped firefighters tackle the Jennings Creek wildfire and helped protect at least 165 homes. These evacuations remain in effect and the state of emergency for Orange County has been extended.
People evacuated were encouraged to take shelter at Greenwood Lake Middle School, which is closed Monday.
In New York, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, Greene, Columbia, Ulster and Dutchess counties are at risk.
“The combination of prolonged dry weather, westerly to northwest winds of 16 to 25 km/h with gusts of 20 to 40 km/h, relative humidity values between 35 and 50% and dry fuels will contribute to an increased risk of fire spread for parts of eastern New Zealand. York, including the eastern Catskills, Capital District, Mid-Hudson Valley and the Taconics,” the NWS office in Albany said Monday.
The same risk applies to New York City and Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester counties, as well as Passaic, Hudson, Bergen, Essex and Union counties in New Jersey.
Firefighters battle the ongoing Jennings Creek fire in Sterling Forest State Park, NY on Sunday.
In Connecticut, there is an increased risk of wildfire spreading in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, and a risk of increased fire concerns in Litchfield.
In Massachusetts, there were heightened fire concerns Monday in a slew of counties, including the Boston and Cambridge areas, due to persistent dry weather, northwest winds gusting to 25 mph in the western part of the state and minimal relative humidity . combined with dry fallen leaves.
In New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts, burning is strongly discouraged.
New York State’s burn ban is in effect through November 30 and prohibits lighting outdoor fires for clearing brush and debris, as well as unattended campfires and open fires for cooking.
“Take extra care when handling potential ignition sources, such as machinery or matches, and make sure you extinguish or dispose of cigarette butts properly,” forecasters said.
Overall, the wind will be much weaker on Monday than over the weekend.
The risks come as more than half of the Northeast remains in a moderate drought and red flag warnings have been issued – indicating an increased risk of fire danger due to warm temperatures, very low humidity and stronger winds – that affected more than 40 million people on Saturday.
Local wildfires have been burning in these states.
Smoke rises from the Jennings Creek fire in Sterling Forest State Park, NY, in aerial footage released Sunday.
The Jennings Creek wildfire, located in Orange County, New York, has burned more than 5,300 acres and is 88% contained as of Sunday evening, according to the New York State Park Police. The wildfire is burning mainly in Sterling Forest State Park.
The same fire has also burned more than 2,280 acres in Passaic County, New Jersey, and is 90% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in an update Friday.
On Sunday, the New York City Fire Department announced the creation of its first wildfire task force in response to the city’s “historic” increase in wildfires. The department said it had fought 271 wildfires in the city in the first two weeks of November.
While high pressure over the East will continue to create mild and dry conditions through Tuesday, rain is possible in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Wednesday, the National Weather Service said in its national weather advisory for Monday. Up to half an inch of rain is possible in the Northeast Thursday through Friday.
About 58% of the Northeast is experiencing moderate drought or worse, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, marking the highest drought level for the region since September 2002.
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issued a drought warning last week as the state faced the driest conditions in nearly 120 years, leading to an increase in wildfires. At the time, Murphy said the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has responded to 537 fires since early October, destroying thousands of acres — 500 more fires than the same period last year, he said.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
