Large Wildfire Shutters N.J. Highway
A large wildfire began Tuesday night (April 11) burning off Route 539 in Manchester Township that forced a portion of the highway to be closed according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, per NJ.com. The highway was closed between Route 70 and Long Swamp Road. It was unclear when it would be reopened. Horicon Avenue was also closed at Route 70.
Unfortunately, the highway wildfire was not the only one that occurred on Tuesday. Fire officials told the publication that “a roughly 10-acre wildfire burned through a wooded area near Alameda Drive in Brick Township and another five-acre wildfire scored brush in nearby Howell Township.”
The Howell fire started when a homeowner was burning wood in a fire pit in their backyard. A large gust of wind carried embers to a wooded area, according to a statement from the Howell Township Police Department.
The other fire was in Jersey City. The fire jumped both the Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and the Newark Bay-Hudson County Turnpike Extension.
We previously reported earlier on Tuesday before either of the three aforementioned fires occurred, that wildfires would be likely in the Garden State due to weather concerns.
Forecasters predicted that the humidity would be very low at about 20% to 25%. Winds of 10 to 15 mph were expected to gust to 20 to 25 mph on Tuesday.
“Any dry grasses, dead leaves, and other tree litter that ignites will have the potential to spread fire quickly,” the weather service said in a special weather statement Tuesday morning.
Records Could Be Broken
Based on the latest forecasts, some records could be matched or broken on Thursday, NJ.com reports. The records that could be broken are as follows:
Newark: Record high for April 13 is 86 degrees, set in 1977.
Trenton: Record high for April 13 is 85 degrees, set in 1977.
Atlantic City: Record high for April 13 is 83 degrees, set in 2018.
New York City: Record high for April 13 is 88 degrees, set in 1977.
Philadelphia: Record high for April 13 is 89 degrees, set in 1977.
