New Jersey moves to drought warning, as wildfires rage

Gov. Phil Murphy warned residents they could face mandatory water conservation measures if voluntary measures don't help the state emerge from its worst drought in almost a decade. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor)

New Jersey officials declared a drought warning Wednesday, a rare step that gives the state more oversight over public water supplies as a record-setting dry spell continues to deplete the state’s drinking water and worsens a wildfire season the state’s top forest administrator called “staggering.”

Gov. Phil Murphy told reporters Monday that water conservation measures for the general public remain voluntary — for now. If conditions don’t improve, the state could move to a drought emergency, under which water use restrictions would be mandatory.

Murphy cited the state’s busy wildfire season — firefighters have battled 537 fires since early October, 1,300% higher than the same period last year — as a major reason why residents should voluntarily save water through strategies like shortening showers and not watering their lawns and gardens.

“Now we can’t get inside of somebody’s shower, so we’re just going to have some of this, or a lot of it, in fact, has to be folks doing the right thing for the overall good of the order,” Murphy said.

Still, he warned, anyone who violates the outdoor fire ban that officials ordered when they declared a drought watch a month ago, uses fire hydrants without authorization, or otherwise flouts restrictions could face fines or criminal charges, like arson.

“I would just say to folks, don’t test us,” Murphy said.

The drought warning, the state’s first since 2016, comes one day after the state Department of Environmental Protection hosted a virtual public hearing on the issue.

The declaration empowers state environmental Commissioner Shawn LaTourette to direct water transfers among systems, control reservoir releases, and modify the rate of flow in streams and rivers to balance ecological protection and the needs of water suppliers. LaTourette also signed an administrative order that establishes a formal process for the department to work with water suppliers to ensure no supplier or region faces a significant shortfall if the dry weather and high customer demand persist.

“We need several months of at least average rain, if not substantially above average rain, in order for us to emerge from these conditions,” LaTourette said.

Murphy and LaTourette declined to say when an emergency might be declared, but the governor noted forecasts that show the unseasonably dry conditions won’t end anytime soon.

“It looks like we have, as well, a very dry winter ahead of us. Yes, that means this drought could grow even more severe, which may eventually require mandatory water restrictions,” Murphy said. “But we’re not there yet, and if we all act accordingly now, we can hopefully avoid that outcome.”

If an emergency gets declared, officials would mandate conservation measures in phases, starting with limiting non-essential usage like lawn and garden watering, non-commercial car and power washing, and swimming pool maintenance. 

The state last declared a drought emergency in 2002.

Wildfires raging

Precipitation has been far below average since August, and last month was New Jersey’s driest October since the state began keeping climatological records in 1895.

The dry spell has made more flammable the forests’ carpet of leaf litter, pine needles, branches, and twigs, said Greg McLaughlin, administrator of the state office of natural lands and forests.

“Approximately eight inches down into the ground, the soil is dry. That would require, then, eight inches of water to bring that same soil back to complete saturation. The impact of this dryness on wildfires cannot be overstated,” McLaughlin said.

Firefighters have battled nearly 1,300 wildfires that have burned over 11,000 acres in New Jersey so far this year. That’s significantly more than usual, with New Jersey firefighters facing an average of 1,071 wildfires over 4,000 acres each year since 2000.

A massive wildfire continues raging now in West Milford and the surrounding area. That blaze, known as the Jennings Creek Wildfire, was just 30% contained as of Wednesday morning. It has burned almost 2,300 acres in New Jersey and another 2,100 acres in New York.

The fire has posed unique challenges to firefighters and even cost one his life. Dariel Vasquez, a young New York state parks system employee, was killed by a falling tree Saturday as he helped battle the blaze.

“When you have essentially mountainous terrain, that really impacts fire behavior,” McLaughlin said. “Fire burns significantly faster uphill with the wind that we’ve had. It can eddy down through the valleys and pick up speed. So fire burns in both directions.”

The steep, rocky terrain makes it dangerous for firefighters to use bulldozers and plows to control the fire line, requiring more people power to do that work by hand, McLaughlin added. And because the area is so remote, it has fewer roads to act as fire breaks, he said.

State Police Superintendent Col. Patrick Callahan said the state activated its state emergency operations center five days ago to communicate fire restrictions, monitor air quality, and support the fire service.

Ninety-five percent of wildfires are caused by people, McLaughlin and LaTourette noted, making compliance with fire restrictions and water conservation measures even more important.

Things like a dropped cigarette, a backyard fire pit, an illicit campfire, or improperly discarded woodstove and fireplace ashes are common fire starters, LaTourette said.

“One ember can make the difference,” he said.

Several state officials blamed climate change for prolonged periods of unseasonable temperatures and unusual precipitation patterns, with Murphy seeming to throw out a challenge to President-elect Donald Trump and his incoming cabinet.

“Now more than ever, New Jersey’s commitment to combating and adapting to climate change is unwavering, unwavering, and unshakable, and regardless of which administration is in power at the federal level, our state is not going to back down,” Murphy said. “We’re going to continue doing everything we can to reduce emissions, protect our precious environment and build a more sustainable future, because as we are seeing today in communities all across the Garden State, there is simply no other option.”

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