Wildfire in New Jersey, March 23, 2009

Name: Wildfire in New Jersey, March 23, 2009
Start: 2009-03-23T12:00
End: 2009-03-23T15:00
Location: New Jersey

March 23, 2009 · NWS PHI · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A series of brush fires occurred across New Jersey on the 23rd. Most were in the northern part of the state as the combination of strong north winds, low humidity levels and a very dry March made it easy for fires to spread rapidly.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 4

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PHI wrote it up.

In Salem County, fifteen acres of farmland and wooded areas were consumed by a wildfire in Elsinboro Township during the afternoon. Firefighters responded to Featherbed Lane around 2 p.m. EDT after a controlled burn meant to destroy phragmites raged out of control. Ten acres of farmland were left almost completely torched as fire crews from Elsinboro and other area municipalities battled the blaze for approximately two hours. Pockets of fire continued to jump around due to strong north winds, and at one point reached into a heavily wooded area about a quarter mile from where the fire began along the banks of a small creek. Firefighters were able to douse the flames before it spread up the trees.

In Sussex County, a brush fire affected just over ten acres near a residential community in Wantage Township. The wildfire was in a grass field adjacent to houses. Forest Fire volunteers managed to protect the homes. In Warren County, a wildfire broke out in Oxford, where five acres were burned. Other brush fires also occurred in Knowlton and Washington Townships. A minor brush fire also occurred on the afternoon of the 24th in Frelinghuysen Township. In Hunterdon County, a small wildfire burned for about 45 minutes and consumed more than an acre of farm field near Ridge Road in Kingwood Township. | |The peak wind gusts on the 23rd at both Philadelphia and Newark Liberty International Airports were 38 mph.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Philadelphia/Mount Holly wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 23, 10:03 AM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 23, 10:03 AM EST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1103 AM EDT MON MAR 23 2009

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD DOWN FROM THE NORTH THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH TUESDAY. THE HIGH IS FORECAST TO BEGIN DRIFTING OFF THE
COAST ON WEDNESDAY. A WEAK FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM THE WEST MAY
ARRIVE ON THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO RETURN FOR
FRIDAY. A WARM FRONT FROM THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST IS FORECAST TO
REACH OUR REGION ON SATURDAY NIGHT, FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT FROM
THE WEST ON SUNDAY.

&&

.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/...
A 14Z SURFACE ANALYSIS PLACED A STRONG HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM ACROSS
SOUTHEASTERN CANADA. MEANWHILE, A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WAS
LOCATED IN WESTERN NEBRASKA WITH A WARM FRONT EASTWARD INTO THE
MID MISSISSIPPI VALLEY. OUR WEATHER WILL BE DOMINATED TODAY BY THE
LARGE HIGH SITUATED TO OUR NORTH. THIS WILL CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE
A CHILLY NORTHWESTERLY FLOW OF AIR ACROSS OUR AREA. THE 12Z RAOB
FROM BOTH STERLING, VIRGINIA AND UPTON, NEW YORK SHOW JUST HOW DRY
THE AIR MASS IS. PLENTY OF VERTICAL MIXING IS OCCURRING, WHICH HAS
ALLOWED THE SURFACE DEW POINTS TO REALLY DROP SO FAR THIS MORNING.
AS A RESULT, THE DEW POINT GRIDS WERE UPDATED TO LOWER THE VALUES
BY SEVERAL DEGREES. THIS WILL IMPACT THE RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES
AS WELL /SEE THE FIRE WEATHER SECTION BELOW FOR MORE DETAILS/.

BASED ON THE 12Z RAOBS AND OBSERVATIONS SO FAR THIS MORNING, WE
BUMPED UP THE WINDS A BIT ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN AREAS WHERE THE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS MORE PRONOUNCED.
HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERALLY LOOKED GOOD WITH ONLY MAINLY MINOR
ADJUSTMENTS MADE. GIVEN THE WEALTH OF DRY AIR, LITTLE /MAYBE SOME
CIRRUS/ TO NO CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

THE HOURLY GRIDS WERE UPDATED TO REFLECT THE LATEST CONDITIONS AND
EXPECTED TRENDS THROUGH THE AFTERNOON.

&&

.SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
THE HIGH WILL CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE OUR REGION FROM TONIGHT INTO
WEDNESDAY.

FEW CLOUDS ARE ANTICIPATED FOR TONIGHT, TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT.
THE FORECAST LOW TEMPERATURES FOR TONIGHT ARE MORE TYPICAL OF
JANUARY THAN THEY ARE OF LATE MARCH.

AS THE SURFACE RIDGE AXIS BEGINS TO DRIFT OFF THE COAST ON WEDNESDAY
WE SHOULD SEE A RETURN TO NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES.  WE MAY ALSO
BEGIN TO SEE SOME HIGH CLOUDS SPREAD IN FROM THE WEST.  HOWEVER, IT
SHOULD REMAIN MOSTLY SUNNY.

&&

.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
AS THE HIGH CONTINUES TO DRIFT OUT TO SEA ON THURSDAY, A WEAK
FRONTAL BOUNDARY FROM THE WEST MAY PASS THROUGH OUR REGION.  THERE
COULD BE SOME LIGHT RAIN WITH THE SYSTEM FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT
INTO THURSDAY.  TEMPERATURES IN OUR NORTHERN COUNTIES MAY DROP BELOW
FREEZING FOR A TIME FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY THURSDAY
MORNING.  AS A RESULT, WE HAVE MENTIONED THE POSSIBILITY OF A LITTLE
FREEZING RAIN THERE, AS WELL.

HIGH PRESSURE MAY NOSE DOWN FROM THE NORTHWEST FOR FRIDAY BEFORE LOW
PRESSURE LIFTING UP OVER THE GREAT LAKES REGION PULLS A WARM FRONT
THEN A COLD FRONT THROUGH OUR AREA IN THE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY
TIME FRAME.  IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THE SYSTEM COULD BRING SOME MUCH
NEEDED RAIN TO OUR REGION.

&&

.AVIATION /15Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
THE FOLLOWING DISCUSSION IS FOR KPHL, KPNE, KTTN, KABE, KRDG, KILG,
KMIV, KACY AND SURROUNDING AREAS.

A LARGE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL DOMINATE OUR WEATHER, AND WITH
PLENTY OF DRY AIR IN PLACE, LITTLE TO NO CLOUDS ARE EXPECTED
THROUGH TODAY. ALSO, NO VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY
AND TONIGHT AS HIGH PRESSURE REMAINS IN CONTROL. THE ONLY REAL
IMPACT ARE THE NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS WHICH WILL GUST TO 20 TO
25 KNOTS AT TIMES, THEN DIMINISH DURING THE EVENING HOURS.

OUTLOOK...
THE HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL SUPPLY US WITH FAIR WEATHER AND VFR
CONDITIONS AT LEAST THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A WEAK FRONTAL ZONE COULD
TOUCH OFF A FEW SHOWERS WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY. A STRONGER
SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO BRING MORE SUBSTANTIAL PRECIPITATION OVER
THE WEEKEND.

&&

.MARINE...
NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS HAVE PICKED UP SOME WITH SOME GUSTS TO
25 KNOTS. THESE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. THUS, A
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF OUR WATERS. THE
END TIME FOR THE ADVISORY ON DELAWARE BAY IS 8 AM TUESDAY. WINDS
AND SEAS ON OUR OCEAN WATERS WILL TAKE SLIGHTLY LONGER TO DROP
OFF, SO THE ADVISORY THERE ENDS AT 6 PM TUESDAY. THESE TIMES MAY
BE ADJUSTED AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE EVENT. AN INTENSIFYING LOW
PRESSURE SYSTEM WELL OFF TO OUR NORTHEAST COULD ALLOW LARGE SWELLS
TO CONTINUE OR MOVE BACK INTO OUR AREA WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY.

&&

.FIRE WEATHER...
A TREMENDOUSLY DRY AIR MASS HAS ARRIVED ACROSS THE REGION WITH
SURFACE DEW POINTS IN THE SINGLE DIGITS OR EVEN LOWER ACROSS
NEARLY THE ENTIRE AREA. THERE IS ENOUGH VERTICAL MIXING TO
SUPPORT GUSTY WINDS AT TIMES OUT OF THE NORTH AND NORTHWEST, AND
THIS HAS ALREADY OCCURRED THIS MORNING. THERE IS SOMEWHAT LESS
WIND ACROSS MARYLAND AND DELAWARE BUT EVEN HERE SOME WINDS AROUND
20 MPH ARE EXPECTED. THE RED FLAG WARNING CONTINUES FOR EASTERN
PENNSYLVANIA UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING. AFTER COLLABORATION WITH THE
NEW JERSEY AND MARYLAND FORESTRY SERVICE AND OUR SURROUNDING
OFFICES, WE DECIDED TO EXPAND THE RED FLAG WARNING TO COVER THE
REMAINDER OF THE CWA. THE DRY FUELS COMBINED WITH THE VERY LOW
RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES /MINIMUM VALUES AROUND 15 PERCENT/ AND THE
GUSTY WINDS WILL PROMOTE THE POTENTIAL FOR RAPID FIRE GROWTH INTO
EARLY THIS EVENING IF IGNITION WERE TO OCCUR. FOR MARYLAND AND
DELAWARE, THE WINDS MAY NOT QUITE REACH THE CRITERIA /20 MPH
SUSTAINED OR FREQUENT GUSTS/, HOWEVER GIVEN THE VERY DRY
CONDITIONS ALREADY IN PLACE IT WAS DECIDED TO ERR ON THE SIDE OF
CAUTION AND ISSUE THE WARNING. THE WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR
THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING.

GIVEN THAT THE SURFACE DEW POINTS DROPPED LOWER THAN PREVIOUSLY
FORECAST /PLUS THE WARNING WAS EXPANDED/, AN UPDATED ROUTINE FIRE
WEATHER FORECAST HAS BEEN ISSUED. THANKS TO THE NEW JERSEY AND
MARYLAND FORESTRY SERVICE AND OUR SURROUNDING OFFICES FOR THE
COLLABORATION THIS MORNING

&&

.PHI WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
PA...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR PAZ054-055-
     060>062-067>071.
NJ...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR NJZ001-
     007>010-012>027.
DE...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR DEZ001>004.
MD...RED FLAG WARNING UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR MDZ008-012-
     015-019-020.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT TUESDAY FOR ANZ450>455.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 8 AM EDT TUESDAY FOR ANZ430-431.

&&

SYNOPSIS...IOVINO
NEAR TERM...GORSE
SHORT TERM...IOVINO
LONG TERM...IOVINO
AVIATION...RPW/GORSE
MARINE...RPW/GORSE
FIRE WEATHER...GORSE

Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 23, 9:39 AM EST, 2 hours 21 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
1039 AM EDT MON MAR 23 2009

DEZ001>004-MDZ008-012-015-019-020-NJZ001-007>010-012>027-PAZ054-055-
060>062-067>071-241000-
NEW CASTLE-KENT-INLAND SUSSEX-DELAWARE BEACHES-CECIL-KENT MD-
QUEEN ANNES-TALBOT-CAROLINE-SUSSEX-WARREN-MORRIS-HUNTERDON-SOMERSET-
MIDDLESEX-WESTERN MONMOUTH-EASTERN MONMOUTH-MERCER-SALEM-GLOUCESTER-
CAMDEN-NORTHWESTERN BURLINGTON-OCEAN-CUMBERLAND-ATLANTIC-CAPE MAY-
ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN-
SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON-CARBON-MONROE-BERKS-LEHIGH-NORTHAMPTON-
CHESTER-MONTGOMERY-BUCKS-DELAWARE-PHILADELPHIA-
1039 AM EDT MON MAR 23 2009

...RED FLAG WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL DELAWARE...NORTHERN
DELAWARE...SOUTHERN DELAWARE...NORTHEAST MARYLAND...CENTRAL NEW
JERSEY...NORTHERN NEW JERSEY...NORTHWEST NEW JERSEY...SOUTHERN NEW
JERSEY...EAST CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA...NORTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND
SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   RED FLAG WARNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ANZ450>455-241000-
COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK TO MANASQUAN INLET NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM MANASQUAN INLET TO LITTLE EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM LITTLE EGG INLET TO GREAT EGG INLET NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM GREAT EGG INLET TO CAPE MAY NJ OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE MAY NJ TO CAPE HENLOPEN DE OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE HENLOPEN TO FENWICK ISLAND DE OUT 20 NM-
1039 AM EDT MON MAR 23 2009

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT TUESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR ATLANTIC COASTAL WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

ANZ430-431-241000-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS NORTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
DELAWARE BAY WATERS SOUTH OF EAST POINT NJ TO SLAUGHTER BEACH DE-
1039 AM EDT MON MAR 23 2009

...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 AM EDT TUESDAY...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR DELAWARE BAY WATERS.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.

PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE
INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS.

   SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 wildfire. Local standard time, as filed.

Wildfire, Sussex

When: March 23, 12:00 PM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Sussex forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 41.140, -74.690 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wildfire, Warren

When: March 23, 12:00 PM EST to 2:00 PM EST
Where: Warren forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.857, -74.997 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wildfire, Salem

When: March 23, 12:45 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Salem forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 39.577, -75.358 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Wildfire, Hunterdon

When: March 23, 2:15 PM EST to 3:00 PM EST
Where: Hunterdon forecast zone
Reported by: Newspaper
Coordinates: 40.567, -74.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Wildfire: A fire burning in wildland vegetation, with its acreage and damage where known.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in New Jersey in 2009 Every state in 2009 This day in weather history Warnings in New Jersey, March 2009

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 151668, 151669, 151657, 151670.