Palisades brush fires in New Jersey send smoke across Hudson River into NYC
ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. -- A pair of brush fires broke out in the Palisades area of New Jersey overnight, sending clouds of smoke across the Hudson River and into New York City.
Dozens of firefighters converged on the area near exit 1 on the Palisades Parkway, about one mile north of the George Washington Bridge. One northbound lane of the parkway is closed, and the Henry Hudson River is also shut down.
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's Forest Fire Service posted on social media shortly after 7:30 a.m. saying the Englewood Cliffs fire is about 30% contained and it spans approximately 19 acres.
The steep, wooded area is situated between the Palisades Parkway and the Hudson River. It's full of dry, dense brush and is relatively inaccessible, but the river acts as a natural barrier and there are not many buildings nearby.
The Forest Fire Service said the fire is not threatening any structures and there are no evacuations. A helicopter that can drop up to 350 gallons of water is on the way to help with the firefighting efforts.
CBS News New York's Christina Fan reported some onlookers stopped by to capture photos and videos of the scene.
Across the river in New York City, residents in Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx also woke up to a smell of smoke. As the sun came up, video from Chopper 2 showed a white cloud billowing across the Hudson.
"Wildfires outside of NYC means you may smell smoke. Air quality overall forecast for today is 48, and current conditions are at 58 (Moderate)," the city's Office of Emergency Management posted on social media.
The FDNY said it responded to reports of smoke but could not confirm if they were tied to the brush fires.
Red Flag Warning for most of Tri-State Area
A red flag warning has been issued from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for much of the area Friday due to a combination of dry and windy conditions.
The fire risk is considered extreme across the Garden State, as the drought continues. October was the driest month on record, with less than an inch of rain.
The risk will remain moderate-to-high Saturday before decreasing Sunday into Monday when we could finally see some more rainfall.
Firefighters in New Jersey have battled at least three wildfires in recent days, including one in Jackson Township that officials say is about 60% contained after burning through 350 acres.