It’s not just California and the southwest of the United States that are affected by the fires. Indeed, a major forest fire, known as the Jennings Creek Fire, is ravaging the northeast of the country, affecting New Jersey and New York. The fire, fanned by exceptionally dry conditions and strong winds, has already consumed more than 3,000 acres (1,214 hectares), report several American media including USA Today and the local ABC News branch.
Forest service teams from both states joined together to fight the fire, despite a shortage of personnel, with most firefighters being volunteers. The fire caused the death of Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old New York State parks employee. He was killed by a falling tree while helping rescue teams.
No evacuation of the population yet
Several homes and infrastructure are threatened, although no evacuations have yet been ordered. The flames also disrupted many events planned for Veterans Day, while smoke spread, reducing air quality as far away as Philadelphia. The smell of smoke was particularly strong in New York, where another fire broke out in Prospect Park, Brooklyn.
Authorities say putting out the fire remains difficult due to the extreme conditions. “The fire is burning not only on the surface, but also below ground, making efforts extremely laborious,” said Bill Donnelly, chief of the New Jersey Forest Service. This fire is part of a series of forest fires that have occurred in the northeastern United States this fall, marked by unusually high temperatures and persistent drought.
Belgium
