Despite the drizzle, adequate rainfall has been very low, and the State has called up retirees and part-timers to occupy the fire towers. According to Bob Wolff from Hardwick who is the retired Section 3 Fire Warden for the NJDEP Forest Fire Service, all fire towers are being manned 7 days / week in an effort to spot wildfires.
He reported conditions have enhanced the fire danger due to high winds predicted in the coming days and very low humidity. He said after what little rain we may be currently receiving in some locations, there’s only 1/10th of an inch expected until next Wednesday and then there’s only a 30% chance that that’ll occur.
Stationed more often high atop Catfish Fire tower in Hardwick on the Kittatinny Ridge, he’s witnessed that wildfires are occurring with greater frequency and posing more difficulty to contain. Trained forest firefighters are in short supply as many are fighting fires out West.
A National Community Wildfire Preparedness Day will take place May 7th,
Desi L. Dunn, Managing Editor
Born & educated in NY with a 1988 Environmental Science degree from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, my husband and I reside in Hardwick with our young daughter and several spoiled pets. This is a true gem in Northwest New Jersey, and my commitment to the people and environs has been shown in the many different fields I've worked - municipal & county official, election clerk, open space plan writer, newspaper & radio journalist, grant writer, events coordinator and farm market manager as well as retail, waitressing, archiological digger and once for a short while in a very huge warehouse.
My favorite job was as a reporter for many years with the Recorder newspapers, Blairstown Press, Paulinskill Chronicle, Gannett publications plus WNTI Public Radio producing public affairs and human interest stories on-air.
I often have my cell phone ready to capture some of the interesting people and stories around us. I'm thrilled to now serve as RVE's Managing Editor and hope to help fellow writers hone their skills and show you the issues as well as treasures that exist in North Warren, through their eyes.
