Heavy smoke from wildfires in Rockaway and Jefferson continues to blanket parts of West Milford, officials said Friday, Nov. 1.
Drivers on parts of Route 23 may have poor visibility because of the smoke, the township Office of Emergency Management (OEM) warned.
Burn bans remain in effect and will be strictly enforced, the OEM said.
On Saturday morning, Nov. 2, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported that it has made substantial progress in containing a wildfire burning near Notch and Green Pond roads in Rockaway.
As of 10 a.m., all evacuation orders had been lifted and the Craigmeur Lookout Wildfire, covering 170 acres, was 50 percent contained.
Sixteen structures were threatened, and Green Pond Road was closed near the Craigmeur Ski Area.
The Forest Fire Service has fire engines, bulldozers and ground crews as well as a helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water.
Structure protection was being provided by local fire departments in Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Sussex, Morris and Warren counties.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Red flag warnings were in place Friday because of strong winds along with the dry conditions.
New Jersey has imposed a Stage 3 campfire restriction because the danger of wildfires is considered extreme.
All fires in wooded areas are prohibited unless contained in an elevated stove using only propane, natural gas, gas or electricity.
No charcoal fires are allowed.
Reservoir lowered
On Wednesday, Oct. 30, officials of Ringwood State Park said water is being released from Monksville Reservoir into the Wanaque Reservoir by the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission because of the recent stretch of dry weather.
As a result, Monksville Reservoir is expected to be lowered 6 feet or more, depending on the length of the drought.
Boaters should use caution when launching in lower water levels and be aware of navigable hazards, such as logs and stumps, that may be more common during the drawdown period.
New Jersey remains under a drought watch, which was declared Oct. 17. The watch is intended to increase awareness of the stress on water supply sources and to encourage voluntary water conservation measures.
If conditions do not improve, a drought warning or a drought emergency with mandatory water use restrictions may be declared.
