Dire drought conditions in N.J. may force emergency action as wildfires burn and reservoirs dwindle
By Len Melisurgo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
New Jersey’s worsening drought conditions are so dire that the state may be forced to declare a drought warning as early as next week or a rare drought emergency in the coming weeks, officials said, as conditions continue to rapidly deteriorate and wildfires keep breaking out almost daily.
The dangerous conditions have put a major strain on crops, firefighters, private wells, and reservoirs that provide drinking water to millions of people. But the biggest immediate danger has come from the wildfires, as firefighters over the past several weeks have battled hundreds of blazes fueled by the dry brush and gusty winds.
At least ten wildfires were burning as of Friday afternoon in eight different counties around the state, from as far north as Bergen and Essex and south to Camden and Cumberland. One of the latest blazes to break out Friday afternoon was near the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Englewood Cliffs.
The drought continues to put a strain on the water supply. Some of the biggest reservoirs in the Garden State are at the lowest capacity seen in more than 20 years, and other reservoirs have dipped to their lowest levels on record, officials said.
https://www.nj.com/weather/2024/11/dire-drought-conditions-in-nj-may-force-emergency-action-as-wildfires-burn-and-reservoirs-dwindle.html