New South Wales continues in drought entering bushfire season, officials urge water conservation.

As drought persists, New Jersey enters its spring high wildfire season, prompting officials to urge the public to raise fire prevention awareness and conserve water resources.

According to a press conference held last week by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the scarce precipitation since last fall, coupled with historically low rainfall in January, has resulted in significantly below-average winter precipitation levels, prolonging the drought situation and intensifying wildfire risks.

Official data shows that since New Jersey entered an abnormally dry period in September 2024, the wildfire incidence has notably increased. In the fall, it witnessed one of the busiest wildfire seasons in history, with 798 wildfires burning 4,847 acres of land. Since January 2025, the state has experienced 381 wildfires, consuming 1,242 acres, a 266% increase compared to the same period last year. Three of these wildfires were classified as “major wildfires,” each scorching over 100 acres of land.

The Department of Environmental Protection mentioned that despite near-normal precipitation levels in February, it is still insufficient to fully replenish reservoirs and groundwater resources. These dry conditions have severely impacted the Forest Fire Service’s prescribed burning operations, a crucial preventive measure against wildfires. Normally, the Forest Fire Service conducts prescribed burns on 25,000 acres of forests, grasslands, and wetlands annually. However, this year, due to severe drought, only 1,707 acres of grasslands and 6 acres of forests have been treated, marking a historic low.

The Forest Fire Service noted that New Jersey’s wildfire peak season typically falls between mid-March and mid-May, a time when trees and shrubs have not fully leafed out, humidity is low, and winds are strong, making forests highly susceptible to dryness. Particularly in the southern wetlands and sandy soil areas, the drying rate is faster, increasing the wildfire risk.

In addition to forests facing dry conditions, the availability of drinking water resources continues to be under pressure due to insufficient rainfall. Shawn M. LaTourette, the Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protection, stated, “As we enter spring, everyone should make efforts to prevent wildfires and reduce water usage in gardening, landscaping, and lawn maintenance.”

Since November 13, 2024, New Jersey has been under a drought alert, with officials urging residents to voluntarily conserve water. If the situation does not improve, the next step could involve declaring a drought emergency and implementing mandatory water restrictions. The last time the state declared a drought emergency was in March 2002, which was lifted in January 2003.

Next, state officials in New Jersey will conduct safety outreach and launch water conservation programs. Furthermore, Governor Phil Murphy has proposed increasing the Forest Fire Service budget by $1 million to strengthen wildfire prevention and response measures.