Live Updates: NY/NJ wildfire map, threats and air quality forecast

NEW JERSEY – Warning signals and fire warnings were issued for the New York City area on Tuesday as gusty winds and dry fuel could cause the fire to spread rapidly later in the week.

Jump to: FORECAST l WILDFIRE MAP l AIR QUALITY TODAY

Wildfire danger is increasing across the Tri-State after brief rains earlier this week provided little relief from long-term drought conditions FOX Forecast Center said. This may also lead to air quality warnings as the smell and haze of wildfire smoke in New York and New Jersey invaded New York City this weekend.

“The high fire potential will remain in the next few days; “That will be the big weather story for us here in the next few days.” FOX 5 NYs said Mike Woods.

Meanwhile, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced in a post

“New Yorkers: It is critically important to avoid any outdoor burns at this time,” the post said. “Remember to report any fire to authorities immediately, remain vigilant and monitor your local forecasts and law enforcement warnings.

On Tuesday afternoon, the governor said officials were “currently battling 11 confirmed wildfires statewide.”

The combination of strong winds that could gust up to 35 miles per hour and increasingly dry air flowing down from Canada will create the conditions for the fire to spread quickly, it said FOX Forecast Center.

Smoke from the Jennings Creek Fire could move toward New York City again, but it will be less intense on Tuesday compared to conditions over the weekend, they said FOX Forecast Center.

Meanwhile, the threat of wildfires will continue into Wednesday as northeasterly winds bring a very dry air mass. The relative humidity will drop even more compared to Tuesday and will reach lows of up to 20%.

Good news is that winds won’t be quite as strong during the afternoon hours, with gusts of 20 to 25 mph likely.

New Jersey wildfire maps

AirNow has an interactive fire and smoke map with up-to-date information about fires in your area. The National Interagency Fire Center has also worked with NASA to provide real-time, interactive fire maps.

Active fires

Fire Weather Warnings

A look at the fire weather warnings issued across the Northeast through Tuesday. (FOX Weather)

Jennings Creek Fire today

According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Jennings Creek fire on the New Jersey-New York border in Passaic and Orange counties is 20% contained.

Still, the fire has spread to 5,000 acres across New York and New Jersey, Hochul said, threatening several structures, including two homes in New Jersey and eight buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks historic district.

To find and fight many of the fires, responders must navigate a maze of dense forests, country roads, lakes and steep hills. The trees there had dropped most of their leaves onto the parched ground, masking a potential danger, authorities said. And Tuesday’s windy conditions made the battle even more difficult for crews.

“Today, forest fire crews will face significant challenges due to the forecast weather,” the New Jersey Forest Fire Service tweeted.

Drought conditions have sparked hundreds of fires across the tri-state area since Oct. 1, and this weekend New York City residents reported smelling smoke and seeing hazy skies. At least one person, an 18-year-old Ramapo High School student and New York State Parks employee, was killed.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“Under the surface leaf litter that falls from the trees, the stuff is bone dry,” Bryan Gallagher, a forester with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, said at a news conference. “So right now there’s a little bit of rain that’s putting out the surface fire. But when it’s in the duff, it stays there. It will smolder like a cigar until it is dry enough, and then the fire can flare up again.”

Meanwhile, New York State Police announced they are investigating the death of Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old state parks employee who died when a tree fell on him while he was battling a large brush fire in Sterling Forest on Saturday afternoon.

According to LoHud.com, Vasquez was a star high school baseball player and captain of the Ramapo High School team. He planned to start college in January, according to a GoFundMe account set up to help his family cover expenses.

“Dariel’s sudden death has left a void in our family and community, but his legacy of love and courage remains a lasting source of inspiration. We remember him as a true hero,” the Vasquez family wrote on GoFundMe.

This map from AirNow.gov shows the current air quality in the New York City area. Click HERE if you have problems viewing the embedded map.

Since Oct. 1, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said it has responded to 537 wildfires that have burned a total of 4,500 acres in the state. Also in New York, firefighters said they responded to 60 wildfires that burned a total of 2,100 acres.

FOX Weather and the Associated Press contributed to this report.