NEW JERSEY – Red flag and fire warnings were issued for the NYC region on Tuesday as gusty winds and dry fuel could lead to the fire spreading quickly through the remainder of the week.

GO TO: PREDICTION l WILDFIRE CARD l AIR QUALITY TODAY

The threat of wildfires is increasing in the Tri-State after brief rain earlier this week provided little relief from the prolonged drought. FOX Prediction Center said. This could also trigger air quality warnings as the odor and haze from smoke from the wildfires in New York and New Jersey infiltrated New York City this weekend.

“The high fire potential is still present over the next few days; that will be the big weather story for us here as we get through the next few days,” FOX 5 NYs said Mike Woods.

Meanwhile, New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced a statewide burn ban in a post on X, formally Twitter, that will take effect starting Wednesday.

“New Yorkers: It is critical to avoid outdoor burning at this time,” the message said. “Remember to report any fires to authorities immediately, stay alert and monitor your local weather forecasts and law enforcement alerts.

On Tuesday afternoon, the governor said officials are “currently managing 11 confirmed wildfires statewide.”

The combination of high winds, blowing up to 55 km/h, and increasingly drier air coming down from Canada will pave the way for rapid fire spread, the report said. FOX Prediction Center.

Smoke from the Jennings Creek Fire may be moving toward New York City again, but it will be less intense on Tuesday compared to weekend conditions, according to the FOX Prediction Center.

Meanwhile, the threat of wildfires will continue until Wednesday as northeasterly winds bring a very dry air mass. Relative humidity will drop even further compared to Tuesday, with minimum values ​​of up to 20%.

Good news is that the wind will not be as strong in the afternoon hours, with gusts of 30-40 km/h likely.

New Jersey Wildfire Maps

AirNow has an interactive fire and smoke map for updates on fires in your area. The National Interagency Fire Center also partners with NASA to provide real-time interactive fire maps.

Active fires

A look at the active wildfires in the Northeast, along with the latest statistics on each fire. (FOX Weather)

Fire department warnings

A look at the fire warnings issued in the North East through Tuesday. (FOX Weather)

Jennings Creek Fire today

The Jennings Creek fire, located on the New Jersey-New York border in Passaic and Orange counties, is 20% contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Still, the fire has spread across 5,000 acres in New York and New Jersey, Hochul said, and is threatening several buildings, including two homes in New Jersey and eight buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District.

To find and fight many of the fires, crews must navigate a maze of dense forests, country roads, lakes and steep hills. Trees there have shed most of their leaves on parched ground, masking potential danger, authorities said. And Tuesday’s windy conditions made the fight even more difficult for the crews.

“Today, Forest Fire Service crews will face significant challenges due to the forecast weather,” the New Jersey Forest Fire Service tweeted.

Drought conditions have sparked hundreds of fires in the Tri-State area since Oct. 1, and this weekend, New York City residents reported smelling smoke and seeing hazy skies. At least one person, an 18-year-old Ramapo High School student and a New York State Parks employee, was killed.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

“Underneath the leaf litter that falls off the trees, that stuff is bone dry,” Bryan Gallagher, a forester with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, said at a news conference. “So right now you get a little bit of rain that puts out the surface fire. But if it’s in the mud, it’s going to stay there. It’s going to smolder like a cigar until it gets dry enough and then that fire can pop back up.”

Meanwhile, New York State Police said they were investigating the death of Dariel Vasquez, an 18-year-old state parks employee who died Saturday afternoon when a tree fell on him as he battled a large wildfire in Sterling Forest.

According to LoHud.com, Vasquez was a high school baseball player and captain of the Ramapo HIgh School team. He had plans to start college in January, according to a GoFundMe account set up to help his family cover costs.

“Dariel’s sudden passing has left a void in our family and community, but his legacy of love and courage remains a lasting inspiration. We remember him as a true hero,” the Vasquez family wrote on GoFundMe.

This map from AirNow.gov shows current air quality in the New York City area. Click HERE if you are having trouble viewing the embedded map.

Since Oct. 1, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said it has responded to 537 wildfires that have burned a total of 4,500 acres across the state. Similarly, fire officials in New York said they responded to 60 wildfires, which burned a total of 2,100 acres.

FOX Weather and the Associated Press contributed to this report.