Wildfire danger remains in the Northeast as efforts continue to extinguish the deadly fire in Connecticut

BERLIN, Conn. – Millions of residents across the Northeast are on edge as bone-dry conditions continue across the region, and officials fear new wildfires that ignite could spread quickly.

Emergency crews have already worked to contain and extinguish wildfires in New Jersey and Connecticut, including the Hawthorne Fire, which killed a firefighter on Tuesday.

The fire weather warnings in effect for the state of Connecticut have now expired, but new warnings have been issued in southern New Jersey and will remain in effect throughout the day on Thursday.

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Connecticut City Police Meriden said 66-year-old Robert Sharkevich, a retired firefighter HartfordHe was killed when the Utility Task Vehicle (UTV) he was riding in overturned on steep, rocky terrain.

Three other firefighters were injured.

“It breaks my heart to hear the news of the tragic loss of Firefighter Sharkevich, who died while bravely and courageously responding to the Lamentation Mountain brush fire in Berlin,” said Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont said in a statement. “His selfless commitment to public service and the Security its community and surrounding towns is nothing short of heroic.”

Lamont raised the flag to half-staff at Connecticut State in honor of Sharkevich.

Firefighters on the other side Northeast were busy putting out the forest fires that broke out in Connecticut New Jersey in recent days as unusually dry conditions continue to prevail in the region.

The FOX Forecast Center said dry brush was primarily responsible for the spread of the fires. However, winds and low relative humidity also help fan the flames.

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FOX Weather Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari was at the Hawthorne Fire command center in Berlin, Connecticut, on Wednesday.

“It’s so dry. The grass feels like hay right now and the ground is very, very crunchy. It hasn’t rained here for a long time,” he said. “It’s just a tinderbox.”

While Sarsalari said this Autumn leaves It was beautiful on the drive, adding to the extreme fire weather as falling, dry leaves bring new fuel to the ground.

A Cold front A move to the area overnight into Thursday will not help firefighting efforts.

“Unfortunately it will be a dry cold front,” Sarsalari said. “Even with rain being pushed out, it’s so dry here in the lower plains atmosphere that even if there was something, it would simply evaporate before it hit the ground.

Reaction in several states

Officials said airborne units from the Connecticut National Guard and the State of Maine were also on scene to help fight the fire from above and use water from Silver Lake to extinguish the fire.

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Connecticut utility Eversource said the wildfire was burning near transmission lines and the company had used drones to monitor equipment.

“This large wildfire is in close proximity to our transmission lines, which form the backbone of the regional power grid, and with winds expected to increase, we are not taking any chances,” said Steve Sullivan, Eversource President of Electric Operations in Connecticut .

Locating the wildfire in Connecticut is proving difficult for first responders

According to the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department, the Hawthorne Fire broke out on the west side of Lamentation Mountain shortly before 6 p.m. ET on Monday. When the fire was reported, officials said City of Berlin resources as well as the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) Wildfire Division arrived on scene to begin extinguishing the fire.

However, due to the steep and rocky terrain in the area, fire operations were limited in the evening and night hours. Lamentation Mountain is more than 700 feet tall and the steep terrain contributed to the firefighter's death. A crew was driving a utility vehicle up the mountain when it crashed onto the firefighter.

Officials said there was no damage to homes and that resources were in place to protect buildings near the fire. Additionally, no evacuations have been ordered in the region.

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Because of the fire danger, the National Weather Service issued fire warnings for the entire state of Connecticut, but these have now expired.

A fire weather advisory is now in effect for southern New Jersey and will remain in effect throughout the day Thursday.

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Forest fires also occur in New Jersey

Wildfires were also reported further south along the busy Interstate 95 corridor in New Jersey.

“I think the only thing on our side is that the winds were under control. That would be a game changer,” said FOX weather meteorologist Britta Merwin. “Think about how many people live along the 95 corridor. In terms of population density, this is the busiest section of our entire country.”

A video shot in Rockaway Township, about 45 minutes from New York City, shows flames burning through the dry landscape as first responders work to put out the fire.

According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Morris County Microwave wildfire that broke out over the weekend is approximately 77 acres in size and 85% contained. According to the fire department, at least three buildings were at risk, but no evacuations had been ordered.

The cause of this fire is under investigation.

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New Jersey officials issue drought warning

This graphic shows recent drought conditions in the Northeast.

(FOX Weather)

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy issued a drought warning Thursday, urging residents and businesses to conserve water as the drought continues.

In a news release, officials said the state of New Jersey has experienced “significantly below-average precipitation over the past three months, which has contributed to declines in stream flow, reservoir and groundwater levels.”

Officials said the declaration of a drought watch was aimed at raising public awareness about the ongoing drought situation.

“While water conservation is always important, it becomes critically important during extended dry periods, such as those New Jersey has experienced throughout most of the summer and into early fall,” Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said in the statement. “Voluntary water conservation now can help avoid more severe and restrictive measures in the future.”