Overnight rain should give relief to crews battling wildfires, but still not enough to put an end to region’s drought

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service battled an 181-acre wildfire in Pompton Lakes, Passaic County.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service battled an 181-acre wildfire in Pompton Lakes, Passaic County. Photo credit New Jersey Forest Fire Service

SOUTH JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — Greater Philadelphia got some much-needed rain overnight, but officials say it’s still not enough to end the drought that’s been plaguing the region for more than a month.

The drought has helped fuel multiple wildfires in New Jersey and Reading, Pennsylvania. They brought hazy conditions and the smell of smoke to parts of Philadelphia and South Jersey on Sunday.

Accuweather senior meteorologist Bob Larson said the overnight rain should give some relief to crews battling the fires.

“It may not extinguish every fire, but it certainly will help in containing them in the short term, before the winds increase again later Monday and Tuesday,” he said.

While the record-breaking dry spell — 42 days — officially ended with Sunday night’s rain, Larson said much more rain is needed to end the drought.

“It’ll put a little dent in the drought, will certainly help to alleviate it, but we did not get into this drought overnight. We’re not going to get out of it overnight,” he said.

Overnight, the Philadelphia area received less than a quarter-inch of rain, according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, Ocean County prosecutors announced arson and firearms charges against Richard Shashaty, 37, of Brick Township, in connection with a 350-acre Jackson Township fire that started last week.

They said that fire was sparked by magnesium shards from a shotgun round on the berm of a shooting range. Officials said firing that kind of “incendiary or tracer ammunition” was barred in the state. The majority of the blaze has been contained, officials reported Friday.

Slick driving conditions

The rain is also causing slick road conditions. AAA Mid-Atlantic said oil and grease from cars build up over time — especially when there hasn’t been any rain to wash it away. The greasy layer between tires and roads is similar to black ice.

Leaves are also a threat to drivers. The rain helped accumulate more leaves on the roads, adding to the slippery situation.

Drivers are advised to use caution.

Wildfire death in New York state

New York State Police are investigating the death of Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old state parks employee who died when a tree fell on him Saturday afternoon as he battled a major brush fire in Sterling Forest, located in New York state’s Greenwood Lake near the New Jersey line.

“Rip brother your shift is over job well done,” a New York State forestry services post said.

Jeremy Oldroyd, a forest ranger with New York state, said that Vasquez died “assisting with fire line construction.”

“Wildland firefighting is a very dangerous profession, and we try to take as many precautions as we can mitigate some of the hazards that are out there in the wildland fire environment. But occasionally accidents do happen,” he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Featured Image Photo Credit: New Jersey Forest Fire Service