New Jersey Forest Fire Season More Active Than Last Year
RINGWOOD, NJ (CBSNewYork) - It has been a very active forest fire season in New Jersey, much more so than last year, and officials are concerned.
WCBS 880's Peter Haskell On The Story
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The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has responded to 315 wildfires that have burned 254 acres so far this year, compared with 167 fires that burned 176 acres during the same period last year.
You could hear how dry it was out there in the woods as WCBS 880 reporter Peter Haskell was walking on Wednesday.
So, maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise to learn the number of forest fires in New Jersey is up significantly.
Section fire warden John Carbone says you can prevent them.
"I believe it's like 98, 98.9 percent of the fires we have in New Jersey are human related somehow," he told Haskell.
Forest Fire Service Chief Michael Drake has some tips.
"Clean out your gutters, and other areas that might be full of leaves, and stuff from the fall," he said, adding that these fires move very quickly.
