A wildfire that spread across New Jersey on Sunday tore through more than 170 acres and hospitalized a firefighter, who remains in critical condition.
State fire officials said they were expected to be at the scene throughout the night and remain working on Monday to contain the fires. The origin of the fire is currently being investigated.
The severity of the fire left 30 buildings and homes damaged and forced the closure of the Garden State Parkway, a toll road that stretches through New Jersey to the New York state line.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service wrote in a Sunday Facebook post that two commercial structures were damaged as a result of the fire. Officials said the fire was roughly 40% contained by 6 p.m.
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“It’s peak wildfire season in New Jersey, so it’s March, April, May,” New Jersey Forest Fire Service spokesman Maris Gabliks told the Asbury Park Press. “So we’re getting off to a busy start here with wildfires.”
However, weather experts said wildfires are not typical for New Jersey.
“Larger wildfires are uncommon or rare for NJ,” CNN meteorologist Michael Guy said. However, meteorologists said the fire could have been the result of combined low humidity and warm temperatures in the area.
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The National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook and a red flag warning and wind advisory on Sunday.
As of Monday, 20 out of New Jersey’s 21 counties remain under a red flag warning, indicating that critical fire weather conditions remain in the area due to a combination of strong winds, humidity, and dry fuels.
