If you live in New Jersey and want to light a fire pit in your backyard tonight, you may be violating the state’s fire restrictions that went into effect this week to help reduce the risk of serious wildfires.

The mandatory fire restrictions, announced Monday, “prohibit all fires unless they occur in an elevated stove using only propane, natural gas or electricity,” the Department of Environmental Protection said in a news release issued Wednesday afternoon.

“No wood or charcoal fires are permitted, and the use of kerosene or gas torches of any kind is prohibited while this restriction is in effect,” the agency added.

The DEP noted that fire restrictions are not just limited to parks, forests and recreational areas.

“The fire ban is in effect on all public lands and private properties in all municipalities in the state,” the agency said.

Although the ban does not specifically mention fire pits, it makes it clear that any form of ground fire is prohibited. The exceptions are elevated appliances powered by propane, electricity or natural gas, because these types of burners have shut-off switches.

Based on that, elevated fire pits that use propane, natural gas or electricity are allowed. Fire pits that use other fire sources, such as wood or charcoal, are not permitted while fire restrictions continue.

While the restrictions may seem drastic, state officials say they are necessary to prevent small fires from growing larger or spreading out of control.

They said they are particularly concerned about the coming days as more dry weather with very low humidity is expected, along with wind gusts that could exceed 20 miles per hour.

The combination of low humidity, extremely dry brush and gusty winds can set the stage for rapidly moving wildfires.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service, which has already seen an increase in fires during this unusually dry fall, said it has “contracted additional air sources capable of dropping 600 gallons of water at a time, to respond to the case of a wildfire.”

In addition, “observers at fire towers across the state are vigilantly watching for signs of wildfires, taking daily weather readings including temperature, humidity, along with a drought index, which has indicated unprecedented dry conditions.

“This has raised concerns about the potential rapid spread of wildfires in the state,” the forest fire service noted.

“We are currently experiencing some of the driest conditions on record, making our forests, particularly the vast Pinelands region of southern New Jersey, particularly vulnerable to wildfires that can spread very quickly and threaten property,” DEP said Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.

“It is vital that members of the public take extra care with fire prevention and do not use open flames,” he added.

Red flag warnings in 11 provinces

Due to extremely dry conditions and the increased threat of wildfires, the National Weather Service has issued a red flag fire warning for Thursday in 11 New Jersey counties.

The warning covers Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Ocean, Salem and western Monmouth.

It will be in force from 11am to 6pm on Thursday, when there are expected to be light westerly winds reaching up to 50km per hour at times.

“A red flag warning means that critical fire conditions are now occurring or will soon occur due to a combination of high winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels,” the weather service said. “Any fire that develops can quickly get out of control and be difficult to control.”