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Ocean County forest fire
The New Jersey wildfire is raging down where my brother lives. More than 13,500 18,000 acres are burning, and they're hoping for the rain that's been forecast this afternoon to help stop it. They've closed off sections of the Garden State Parkway because of the poor visibility due to the smoke. These are photos my brother took yesterday of the billowing smoke clouds passing through their community. He and I live in the same county, but he's in the southernmost part. I'm about 35 minutes away from where he is. It's going to be interesting to see if he can get home tonight, since the Parkway is the main highway (along with the Turnpike) that shuttles we Jerseyans to and fro in the state.
ETA: It just started raining here in New York City (4:15 p.m.), so with any luck that should be traveling south (if it hasn't started there already) and all this mess will be over.
ETA: It just started raining here in New York City (4:15 p.m.), so with any luck that should be traveling south (if it hasn't started there already) and all this mess will be over.
Things in my area are same as yesterday; there's still ash floating in the air and smoke hovering over the lakes. They just re-closed the parkway south of Barnegat again, too. I heard from a friend of mine in Manahawkin; they're talkinga about evacuating more people down there now. :(
We haven't had this happen in a while, so I guess we were due. It would have been nice if the stupid training mission would have been a bit more careful, considering people are losing their (trailer) homes.
And yeah, I'd love to know how they're evacuating people out of Manahawkin with 72 closed in both directions. And since 72 is closed, people can't get on the parkway to go north, so everyone is probably sitting in traffic on Route 9. Those poor people. My exit is the one just north of 69, and everyone's getting off here to turn around and go north again.
As far as the gunnery range goes, this isn't the first time they've created chaos around here with one of their mistakes. I'll be *amazed* if there isn't a serious outcry to finally shut it down this time!
Three years ago, another F-16 accidentally fired eight rounds from a high-powered 20-millimeter cannon through the roof of Little Egg Harbor Intermediate School, just three miles south of the range. The incident took place at night, and no one was hurt; the damage to the school was minor.
In 2002, errant practice bombs at the range sparked a small fire that burned about 11,000 acres. Another fire that started at the range destroyed 1,600 acres of the pinelands in 1999.
Shit!
Some churches here are getting together to pray for rain. Others are saying it's the End Tines, with all the fires everywhere.
And the smoke, coupled with the high pollen count this year, is making life miserable for people with allergies.
The smell has been terrible down here from the many fires burning. I've been lucky that none of them have been close by.
I hope your brother is safe and can make it home.
They've been showing this all on the news... it's such a terrible thing.
You guys are in our thoughts here in the swamp...
I live in work in Monmouth County and the rain started here probably around 4:30 - 4:45. Let's hope it puts some flames out. The wind the past two days can't be helping at all.