Where I live 😢

[Murphyb849]

Link to tweet

?t=x0c4nNFPYp3-uGHM8HKEiA&s=19

[Celerity]

1. stay safe

[Tetrachloride]

2. Wharton state forest fire, New Jersey

https://6abc.com/nj-wildfire-wharton-state-forest-washington-township-new-jersey-burlington-county/11978350/

WASHINGTON TWP., New Jersey (WPVI) -- Crews in South Jersey are working to contain a raging wildfire that's burning in Wharton State Forest.

Officials say the fire has burned at least 2,100 acres throughout Washington, Shamong, Hammonton and Mullica townships. The blaze is 20% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Sunday night.

[Emile]

3. It's unusually dry here in Indiana for this

time of the year. It must be dry on the east coast too.

[wnylib]

4. I always associated forest fires with

the Southwest and California. Didn't know that Jersey had forest fire problems. Or, is this unusual, due to heat and dryness?

[3Hotdogs]

6. It happens about every five years.

The last two, closed the Garden State Parkway. One closure was because smoke reduced visibility to a couple of feet. The other fire crossed the Parkway.

Southern N.J. consists of the Pine Barrens, national preserve.... mostly pines and shrub. Pine needles dry and spread fires. Some fires are caused by assholes. Less are caused by lightning. And D.E.P. has "controlled burns" in summer.


Some of the trees need fire to release spores and seeds to regenerate. Five years after a fire, you wouldn't know it happened.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. Just like some aren't familiar with winter brush fires in Florda, the same happens in NJ in spring

Although this is happening a bit late (probably because there was an above normal amount of precipitation in the area the past couple months), usually this happens around March/April/May, when there are periods where the dew points are low and there are many breezy days, and that dries out the brush near the highways and conifers in the woods, leading to perfect conditions to spark a brush fire/wildfire/forest fire. There hasn't been much heat in the area yet - definitely not like what is happening in the MW/SW.

That Wharton State Park is right smack in the middle of the NJ Pine Barrens (which has naturally sandy/acidic soil which is also where they grow blueberries and cranberries although here in Philly, we would go across the bridge to get baskets of NJ tomatoes and bushels of corn )-

[Scrivener7]

5. I'm so sorry. Wildfires in New Jersey. SMDH.

[3Hotdogs]

7. See my reply to preceding post.

[The Jungle 1]

8. We had a lot of wind over the weekend.

However this morning it is calm so far. Hopefully they can contain the fire today. Here in SE Pa we have a chance of rain Wednesday. Only a 40% chance.
These forests contain jack pine, red pine, pitch pine, scrub oak. The forest floor is a mat of pine needles and sand.
Our former loser pResident informed the nation we need to rake the forest floor. However he never supplied any funds to do it. These forests always have a high fire danger and burn every few years.

[róisín_dubh]

9. Oh no! How sad.

My mom lives not too far from there and I'm writing a novel set in the area. I grew up in Monmouth County.

[BumRushDaShow]

11. Our area's WFO of the NWS in Mt. Holly tweeted last night about picking up the smoke on their radar

Link to tweet

NWS Mount Holly
@NWS_MountHolly
The smoke plume from the Mullica River Fire is visible on our radar presently. Visibility at Atlantic City International Airport is now below 2 miles. Use caution if traveling in the area overnight, & please comply with posted road closures. Follow @njdepforestfire for the latest
Image
12:37 AM · Jun 20, 2022

The winds have been coming right out of the N and blowing the smoke to areas south including to AC and I expect, Ocean City but if they manage to veer out of the east or southeast for whatever reason, that will take it over some very populated areas.