You’ve probably seen the headlines lately. Or maybe you just smelled the smoke on your way to work. If you’re living in the Garden State right now, it feels like every time you refresh your feed, there’s another alert from the Forest Fire Service or a local department. Honestly, the fire New Jersey news cycle has been relentless this January, and it’s not just your imagination.
We aren't even out of the first month of 2026, and already, the state is grappling with a bizarre mix of urban structural fires and unseasonably dry conditions in the woods. Just this past week, we saw dozens of people hospitalized after a nasty apartment fire in East Orange. Then you’ve got the strange incident at Raceway Park in Old Bridge where more than a dozen cars just... went up in flames. It's a lot.
But if you think this is just a "bad week," you’re missing the bigger picture. There is a specific, weird tension happening in New Jersey right now between aging infrastructure and a changing climate that makes the traditional "fire season" feel like a thing of the past. It's year-round now.
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If you want to understand why people are so frustrated, look at Camden. Attorney General Matt Platkin just filed a massive lawsuit against EMR Advanced Recycling. Why? Because that facility has had something like 12 hazardous fires in the last five years.
Imagine living next to that.
The most recent major blow-up there was last February, and it wasn't just a "little smoke." Residents were forced out of their homes for six hours because the air quality got so toxic. The company says it’s all about lithium-ion batteries being disposed of improperly—like in those disposable vapes everyone uses—but the state says they’ve got stories-high piles of flammable junk just waiting for a spark. It’s a classic Jersey standoff: big industry versus local safety.
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Wildfires in the Middle of Winter?
Kinda weird, right? You usually think of the Pine Barrens burning in April or May when the "March dip" dries everything out before the leaves come in. But look at the data. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has been sounding the alarm because we’ve had one of the driest stretches in a century.
Remember the Jones Road Fire back in April 2025? That monster scorched over 15,000 acres and almost reached the old Oyster Creek nuclear plant. Well, the conditions that fueled that haven't really gone away. We’re seeing "spot fires" even now because the ground is parched.
Important Detail: New Jersey recently passed the First Responders Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Protection Act. Governor Murphy signed it on January 14, 2026. This matters because our firefighters are being pushed to the limit with these back-to-back incidents.
Passaic and the Urban Fire Surge
Passaic has been getting hit hard lately. They had two multi-alarm fires in just two days last week. One was a third-alarm fire where a woman had to be rescued from the upper floors. When you have these older, tightly packed buildings, a single spark turns into a neighborhood crisis in minutes.
The sheer volume of calls is rising. Hanover Township Fire District 3 even scheduled a community Q&A because their call volume is spiking so much they need to explain it to the taxpayers. Basically, we have more people living in the same amount of space, using more electronic devices (with more batteries), while the climate keeps throwing us dry curveballs.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That "the fire department has it handled."
They do their best. They’re heroes. But the system is strained. Many departments in New Jersey are still volunteer-based, especially in the suburbs and rural areas. When you have a massive wildfire in the Pine Barrens at the same time as a five-alarm business fire in Hillside, resources get stretched thin.
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We’re also seeing a lot of fires started by things that didn't exist twenty years ago. E-bikes, scooters, and cheap lithium batteries are becoming a leading cause of residential fires. If you’re charging your bike in the hallway, you’re basically sitting on a chemical fire waiting to happen.
Recent Incidents You Should Know About:
- Old Bridge: Over a dozen cars burned at Raceway Park on January 11.
- Hunterdon County: A house fire on Finn Road in Union Township was caught just in time last Monday.
- East Orange: An apartment fire on January 11 displaced 80 people and sent dozens to the hospital for smoke inhalation.
- Camden: A massive fire at a former farmers market on Mount Ephraim Avenue lit up the night sky on January 5.
Actionable Steps for New Jerseyans
Look, you can't stop a forest fire in the Pinelands by yourself, but you can definitely stop your house from becoming the next headline.
First, get your batteries in check. Don't buy those "no-name" replacement batteries for your power tools or electronics on those discount sites. They’re a huge risk. If a battery is bulging or feels hot while charging, get it out of the house.
Second, if you live near the woods, keep a "defensible space." Clear those dead leaves and pine needles away from your siding. It sounds like a chore, but when the Forest Fire Service says the ground is dry, they mean it.
Lastly, pay attention to the fire danger dashboard. It’s a real thing the state updates. If it’s a "Red Flag" day, don't even think about a fire pit or a charcoal grill. One stray ember is all it takes when the humidity drops and the Jersey wind kicks up.
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Stay safe out there. Keep an eye on the local weather and make sure your smoke detectors actually have working batteries. It’s the simple stuff that keeps you out of the news.
Next Steps to Stay Safe:
- Check your smoke detectors today; many newer models have 10-year sealed batteries, but older ones still need that twice-a-year swap.
- Dispose of lithium-ion batteries properly at designated drop-off sites—never put them in your regular trash or recycling bin.
- Register for local emergency alerts through your county’s OEM (Office of Emergency Management) to get real-time evacuation or smoke advisories.