New Jersey is experiencing an extreme dry spell with minimal rainfall in nearly two months, leading to the driest conditions New Jersey has had in nearly 120 years. Governor Murphy has issued a drought warning and urged residents to take the warning seriously and reduce water use voluntarily.

Drought Preparedness & Water Conservation Try to do at least one thing each day to conserve water!

The NJ Forest Fire Service has responded to several hundred brush fires and wildfires in the last three months alone. Each new fire start is a concern for large-scale evacuations of homes in the state.

Since November 6, the Red Cross has supported the public with temporary evacuation points, feeding and shelters. We have supplied cots and blankets, along with canteening to firefighters and other first responders battling the fires (providing things like coffee, water and snacks).

When the Jennings Creek fire crossed over from Orange County New York into Passaic County, the Red Cross was asked to support 300 first responders with feeding and canteening, which we continue to gladly support daily. Our volunteers have been serving breakfast, lunch and dinner to first responders at the Incident Command Center and on the fire line, to firefighters, linesmen and other first responders. We’ve also supplied the Jennings Creek Incident Command Post with cots, blankets, comfort kits and a support trailer.

To date statewide, more than 5,400 meals and nearly 1,950 snacks have been served to the brave firefighters and other first responders helping to fight these wildfires.

This weekend, weather conditions are extremely high for wildfires in New Jersey. Approximately 70 Red Cross volunteers throughout the state are on standby to open temporary evacuation points and assist communities should it be needed.

The Red Cross is dedicated to alleviating the suffering of those affected by disasters. We work closely with local emergency management teams and our community partners to coordinate relief efforts. Trained Red Cross volunteers and employees are on call around-the-clock and ready to assist in aspects such as providing shelter, meals, disaster assessment, resources and more.

Wildfire Safety

As conditions are heightened for wildfires in New Jersey, the Red Cross is urging families to take action now to be ready. Families may need to evacuate quickly with little notice and should create a family plan that includes how they’ll stay connected with each other, where they’ll go, how they’ll get there, and where they’ll stay. People should sign up for free emergency alerts from local government, which will include important information such as evacuation orders in an emergency.

A wildfire can spread very quickly, leaving you little time to get to safety. Be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice and obey all evacuation orders from officials.

• Back your car into the garage or park it outside, facing the direction of your evacuation route.
• Keep your pets in one room, so you can find them if you need to evacuate quickly.
• Limit exposure to smoke and dust. Keep indoor air clean by closing windows and doors to prevent outside smoke from getting in.
• Don’t use anything that burns, such as candles, fireplaces and gas stoves.

To learn more about wildfire safety, visit redcross.org/Wildfires