Largest NJ wildfire of 2024 fueled by heatwaves, flash droughts

TABERNACLE — As fire crews wrap up their battle against New Jersey's largest wildfire of the year, officials worry that conditions could ripen for another one around the corner.

The Tea Time Hill wildfire burned through 4,300 acres of Wharton State Forest in Burlington County in four days. It was 90% contained as of Monday evening, according to the state Forest Fire Service.

Officials said that fireworks set off on the night of July 4 sparked the massive blaze. But it was dry conditions brought on by recent heatwaves that allowed it to spread into the largest wildfire of 2024, according to Assistant State Fire Warden Shawn Judy.

The hot weather over the past week made combating the blaze more difficult. Fire crews needed rehab units and EMS on the scene for regular checkups to make sure they weren't getting dehydrated and overheated.

Also contributing to the drier brush and leaves are flash droughts that have sprung up in New Jersey in recent years, Judy said; flash droughts combined with heatwaves create perfect conditions for major wildfires.

"The heavy rainfalls that we experienced a week or so ago were sporadic in areas but they ran through the sandy soil here in the pine barrens very quickly. And with these hot days it didn't take much for it to be ready to burn again" said Judy.

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NJ wildfire season 2024 is calmer

The drier conditions have only developed in the past few weeks. It was a wetter start to 2024 in New Jersey with consistent rain through spring.

That's led to a calmer wildfire season this year compared to 2023. Peak wildfire season typically runs from mid-March through mid-May.

This year, there have been 555 wildfires that have consumed a total of 4,997 acres, according to Judy. That's a significant drop from 2023 which was one of the busiest wildfire seasons in recent memory.

In 2023, there were 1,193 wildfires that razed 18,043 acres of land throughout New Jersey.

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Outlook for future NJ wildfire seasons is worrisome

While this year has been calmer, New Jersey is trending in the opposite direction overall.

Wildfire season has extended by 10 days in North Jersey and four days in South Jersey over the past 50 years due to climate change, according to a study cited by the state DEP from research non-profit Climate Central.

Judy said, that right now, the state needs some consistent precipitation to make sure things cool down so another wildfire consuming thousands of acres doesn't pop up again before the summer's end.