Officials in New Jersey have imposed major restrictions on outdoor burning due to worsening drought conditions that have led to more wildfires than normal this month.

“We’ve had a surge of fires,” Bill Donnelly, chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

“Last week alone we had 107 fires, for a total of 183 hectares,” Donnelly noted. “This year, as of today (October 21), we are dealing with 917 fires. Of those 917 fires, four were major fires, covering more than 100 hectares.”

Donnelly said the fall fire season in New Jersey typically runs from mid-October to mid-November, but started earlier than normal this year due to extended periods of warm and extremely dry weather.

Due to the severe drought, an increase in wildfires and a strain on the state’s drinking water systems, the governor’s office declared a drought watch late last week and the state Department of Environmental Protection – which oversees the New Jersey Forest Fire Service – imposed Stage 3 fire restrictions in all 21 of the state’s counties on Monday.

Phase 3, the highest level of restrictions, means that lighting open flames in or adjacent to wooded areas is not allowed unless they are in a raised stove or grill and use only propane, natural gas or electricity, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. .

“The only fires we allow are fires controlled by propane, whether it’s a gas grill or a gas fireplace,” Donnelly said.

“Open fire on the ground is not allowed,” he said. The same rule applies to charcoal grills, tiki torches and other types of appliances that cannot be turned off immediately, due to the high risk of starting a forest fire or larger wildfire.

“You’d be surprised: the craziest things start fires when it gets that dry,” Donnelly said, pointing out the major risks posed by discarded cigarette butts or wood-burning stove ash.

He said it’s also possible that gasoline-powered lawn mowers could set dry grass on fire.

“We want to remind everyone to be extra careful,” Donnelly said. ‘It’s dry there. Fires that wouldn’t normally start, for one reason or another, are now starting… It’s imperative that people be a little extra careful.”

The drought watch is encouraging New Jersey residents and businesses to voluntarily conserve water.

If drought conditions do not improve, a drought warning or a drought emergency with mandatory restrictions on water use may become necessary, officials noted.

“It is dry, and it will remain dry, and we are looking for public support to reduce unnecessary water use to prevent further actions in the future,” said New Jersey State Geologist Steve Domber.

Domber noted that New Jersey has had below-average rainfall over the past five months, with the situation worsening as fall began.

“September (rainfall) was two inches below normal, making it the third driest on record. And we had almost no rain in October,” Domber said. “In addition, we have had above-average temperatures all year. And both conditions – dry and warm – lead to a lower or less (water) supply and high demand.”

Most areas of New Jersey have not seen any measurable rain in more than three weeks, and forecasters predict that no substantial rain will fall for at least another week.

The National Weather Service says there is a slight chance of localized rain showers from late Wednesday night through early Thursday morning, but no heavy rain is expected.