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New Jersey wildfire continues to grow despite rains

Rainfall did little to slow a. wildfire burning on the border of New york city and New Jersey on. Monday, officials said, as strong winds assisted the fire grow.

The Jennings Creek Fire, situated about 30 miles northwest of. New York City, has actually now torched some 5,000 acres (2,023 hectares). and is 20% consisted of, according to authorities at a press. conference provided by the New york city State Parks department.

Half of the containment is in New York and the other half is. in New Jersey, authorities stated, adding that rains overnight. did allow firefighting crews to rest.

On the other hand in California, gusty winds threatened to assist a. massive wildfire there broaden.

Wildfire break outs are a fairly common incident in. California, but the East Coast blazes are unusual.

The Jennings Creek fire has actually already killed a single person, an. 18-year-old worker of New york city State Parks department,. according to regional police. Authorities said in a statement that. Daniel Vasquez died while fighting the fire as it ripped through. Sterling Forest on the shore of Greenwood Lake.

In California, firemens have actually gradually gained on the 20,630. acre (8,350 hectares) Mountain Fire as it burned about 50 miles. ( 80 km) northwest of Los Angeles.

The fire, which began last Wednesday, was 36% contained. after destroying more than 160 structures, according to Cal. Fire.

The area remains on high alert as winds were anticipated to. enhance on Monday and into Tuesday with gusts reaching 45. miles (72 km) per hour, the National Weather Service stated in its. forecast.

NO EFFECT ON DROUGHT

As much as a half inch of rain was tape-recorded in several East. Coast cities over night, the National Weather Service in Mount. Holly reported. Some cities, like Trenton, New Jersey, had not. seen rain in 42 days, the service said.

This will NOT have any significant influence on the dry spell,. but need to briefly quell the extreme fire risk, the service. stated, as over night rain paved the way to clear skies on Monday. early morning.

Northern New Jersey was downgraded to really high fire. risk on Monday early morning, from extreme before the rain. The. southern 3rd of the state was still thought about extreme,. while Central New Jersey's danger was ranked moderate, the. state's forest service said on its site.

In General, New Jersey's forest fire service reported about 10. separate wildfires in different parts of the state over the past. week, consisting of one in Englewood Cliffs, throughout the Hudson River. from prosperous New York City, where haze showed up and the air. smelled of smoke over the weekend.

Other New Jersey blazes were much smaller sized than the Jennings. Creek fire and were mostly contained by Monday, according to. the local forest fire service.

On Friday night, a two-acre fire broke out in the New york city. City district of Brooklyn, damaging its last remaining forest. called Gorge in Possibility Park, according to Prospect Park. Alliance, an organization that sustains the park. The fire was. extinguished by Saturday.

A 37-year-old New Jersey male has been charged with arson and. infraction of arrangements associating with firearms after he fired a. shotgun round that sparked combustibles and began a wildfire. in Ocean County, the local prosecutor said over the weekend.

(source: Reuters)