A fast-moving wildfire in southern New Jersey grew to nearly 4,000 acres in under 24 hours as record springtime heat has set in across the Northeast. CNN reported that the Jimmy’s Waterhole Fire had already burned more than half the average acres burned in New Jersey in an entire year, according to statistics from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The fire was 50 percent contained at 3,859 acres by Wednesday morning.
It was reported at just 500 acres at 10 p.m. Tuesday, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
WPVI-TV News reported Wednesday morning that the fire was at 50 percent containment, and by Wednesday afternoon it was estimated at 60 percent.
About 170 structures in the Manchester Township area were evacuated Tuesday night, but all residents have since been allowed to return home, Manchester Police Chief Robert Dolan said during a news conference Wednesday.
New Jersey has been dealing with a series of recent fires exacerbated by dry and windy conditions. The Washington Post reported a mandatory evacuation in Manchester, where residents were relocated to the Manchester Township High School, with support from the American Red Cross, Manchester Township EMS, Manchester Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/will-americas-worst-wildfire-disaster-happen-in-new-jersey-34156/
Rolling Stone had an article in 2016 about a near worst case fire in the Pinelands – as a hypothetical and perhaps Probable situation.
I guess it depends on the wind.
I do a lot of Controlled Burns, clearing fuel where it is steep and difficult to get lumber out.
I was burning rotten logs on Tuesday, and have been trying to refine my technique so I don’t need to use too much slash fuel.
It looked like I was going to end up with a Did-not-burn situation – when a gentle wind came.
That 10 mile per hour wind made all the difference.
Basically converted the fire from endothermic to exothermic.
Long story short, whether the fire gets from 4000 acres to manifesting the semi-prediction made in the Rolling Stone article – depends mostly on the wind ?
The best general source I’ve found for historical Wind data is Almanac.com
In case anyone besides me was wondering about the Pine Barrens and the Pinelands:
https://pinelandsalliance.org/learn-about-the-pinelands/ecosystem/pine-barrens-vs-pinelands/
Pine Barrens is an ecological term for the terrain and habitat there. Pinelands is a political designation. They’re often used interchangeably even though they’re not exactly interchangeable. It’s long been a really volatile place.