Firefighters’ efforts to contain the Jennings Creek Wildfire continued on Thursday morning after nearly a week of burning.
Here is the latest information on the ongoing fire. Check back throughout the day for updates.
Jennings Creek Wildfire is 50% contained
The Jennings Creek W76272954007ildfire has burned through 2,283 acres in New Jersey alone, reaching 50% containment fire-wide as of approximately 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the most recent update posted on X by the NJ Forest Fire Service. This is up from 30% containment Wednesday morning, despite harsh weather conditions creating an elevated risk for the spread of wildfires throughout the day.
Two residential structures in New Jersey remain threatened and zero structures are evacuated. Local roads as well as all trails in the Long Pond Ironworks State Park, Tranquility Ridge and the Ringwood Manor section of Ringwood State Park are closed.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Battle continues against the largest wildfire in the state this fall
The Jennings Creek Wildfire, which has grown to about 5,000 total acres spanning Passaic County into Orange County, New York, has become the largest of more than 500 wildfires reported in the state this fall, according to state officials.
So far this year, close to 1,300 wildfires have scorched more than 11,000 acres across the state, significantly higher than the yearly average since 2000 which stands at 1,071 wildfires and about 4,000 acres burned.
The remote, mountainous and rocky terrain in the area of the fire has posed a challenge to firefighters over the course of the seven-day battle, with strong winds making it even harder on some days.
Volunteer firefighters from Sussex, Morris, Passaic and Bergen counties have all been on the ground, accompanied by helicopters, planes and drones that provide real-time visuals of the fire’s progression.
Local residents fear wildfire damage to their homes
Residents of Ringwood and West Milford who live near the Jennings Creek Wildfire have been living on edge throughout the week as alerts have gone off regularly to keep them up to date on the nearby fire.
Some have considered packing up and leaving while others are contemplating what they may need to take if they did in fact have to leave. Many of them sighed a slight breath of relief when firefighters announced that about 30% of the fire was contained.
Residents of Sheehan Drive and the western end of Peter’s Mine Road in Ringwood said that the smoke was at times unbearable.
Fundraising, donations for firefighters and local community members
Wayne Mann, a Ramapough Nation leader, was out in the community Tuesday and Wednesday, delivering masks to Ringwood residents impacted by smoke.
The New Jersey Highlands Coalition also provided $1,700 for masks and water for rescue workers. If you would like to donate to the Coalition’s efforts, visit https://newjerseyhighlandscoalition-bloom.kindful.com/?campaign=1339297. Funds will be used to support the Turtle Clan of the Ramapough Lenape Nation as well as the numerous municipal fire companies that are on site of the fire.
Next update on the NJ/NY wildfire
The next update will be provided by the NJ Forest Fire Service on their social media accounts at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. The NJ Forest Fire Service and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation will also be providing updates at in in-person press conference at noon on Thursday.
Wildfire map
To track wildfires around the state as well as smoke, red flag warnings and more, visit the New Jersey wildfire, smoke map at https://data.northjersey.com/fires/.
