Strong winds further complicate the New Jersey wildfire containment

New Jersey firefighters have continued to fight to contain the ongoing wildfires that began on Tuesday. The fires began in Green wood Forest Wildlife Management area in Ocean County, New Jersey.

The fires have tragically burned and destroyed a recorded 15,000 acres of New Jersey land since the fires commenced. As of Sunday The Forest Fire Services’ reports share that the fires are only 65% contained.

The fires allegedly began as a result of a 19 year-old New Jersey resident, Joseph Kling, leaving a bonfire unattended. The fires have rapidly spread due to high winds throughout the state and exceedingly dry conditions over the past week.

State officials have shared with the press that they believe that the fires were intentionally started. The reasoning behind the act is still unclear but the leading suspect will most likely face charges of arson.

The National Weather Service released a statement early Sunday afternoon warning people located in Southern New Jersey of the “increased risk of rapid fire spread”. The rapid spread of the wildfires have been credited to humidity levels of 30%-35% and high wind speeds of 30-40 mph.

The high, unremitting wind speeds are making it near impossible for fire officials to fully contain the fires. The National Weather Service reported that fire-containing practices are expected to continue “over the next several days” due to the unpredictable nature of these high winds.

New Jersey residents have been urged by state officials to avoid wooded areas for their personal safety. New Jersey fire officials also shared that they will not have any more updates on the fire's containment until around Monday afternoon.

Farrell Duffy is a second-year broadcast journalism student. To contact her, email fad5190@psu.edu