The Essential NJ Wildfire Map: 5 Critical Tools To Track Live Fires And Assess Your Risk Now

Tracking the dynamic threat of wildfires in New Jersey is critical for residents, especially those near the vast, fire-prone Pine Barrens. As of today, December 17, 2025, while the peak wildfire season has passed, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) continues to monitor conditions and maintain a constant state of readiness, emphasizing that the risk of a significant wildland fire is a year-round concern, as evidenced by the Jennings Creek Fire in late 2024. Understanding how to access and interpret the official state wildfire maps is the single most important step you can take for preparedness.

The "map of nj wildfire" is not one single tool, but a collection of official, real-time dashboards provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the NJFFS. These resources offer live incident tracking, fire danger ratings, and long-term risk assessments, moving beyond simple news alerts to give you a complete picture of the current threat level across counties like Ocean, Burlington, and Atlantic.

The 5 Essential New Jersey Wildfire Mapping and Tracking Tools

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) is the authoritative source for all wildfire information, incident tracking, and risk assessment across the state. They utilize a suite of sophisticated Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to provide the public and emergency responders with the most accurate, up-to-date data. Familiarizing yourself with these five key portals is essential for any resident concerned about fire safety.

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1. NJ Forest Fire Service Fire Danger Dashboard: This is the most crucial daily tool. It provides a color-coded map of the state, broken down by county, that indicates the current Fire Danger Rating (Low, Moderate, High, Very High, or Extreme). This rating is based on two primary indices that measure the dryness of forest fuels and the likelihood of a fire ignition resulting in a significant wildfire.
2. NJOEM GIS Wildfire Monitoring Dashboard: Managed by the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM), this dashboard offers a geospatial view of current active incidents. It displays locations and perimeters of wildfires that have occurred over the past seven days, often showing the size of the fire and the resources being deployed for suppression.
3. New Jersey Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (NJWRAP): This is the state's long-term planning tool. The NJWRAP is not for tracking a live fire, but for assessing the long-term, inherent wildfire risk of a specific location, down to a neighborhood or address. It compiles data on vegetation, topography, weather, and historical incidents to help residents and community leaders understand their vulnerability.
4. Prescribed Fire Notifications Map: The NJFFS actively manages the landscape, primarily in the Pine Barrens, through controlled burns, also known as prescribed fires. This map tracks the location and timing of these burns. If you see smoke and check this map, you can often determine if it is a controlled operation or an actual wildfire incident.
5. Air Quality Alert/Smoke Maps: During major incidents, like the large fires in Wharton State Forest in 2024 or the Jennings Creek Fire, smoke can travel hundreds of miles, affecting air quality in major metropolitan areas like New York City (NYC) and Philadelphia. Real-time air quality maps (often from the EPA or third-party weather services) become essential LSI tools for tracking the smoke plume and its impact on your health.

These maps are updated hourly or daily, utilizing data from federal sources like the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) and on-the-ground reports from the NJFFS.

The Unique Fire Ecology of the New Jersey Pine Barrens

To fully appreciate the importance of the wildfire maps, one must understand the unique environment that makes central and southern New Jersey so fire-prone. The Pine Barrens, a vast ecosystem covering over a million acres across multiple counties (including Burlington, Ocean, and Atlantic), is a fire-dependent environment.

Why the Pine Barrens Burns So Often

The Pine Barrens is one of the most fire-prone regions in the eastern United States, a factor that has shaped its ecosystem for thousands of years.

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• Highly Flammable Vegetation: The area is dominated by pitch pine and various scrub oaks. These trees and shrubs contain volatile oils and produce highly flammable needles and leaves that accumulate on the forest floor, creating a dense, dry fuel bed.
• Sandy, Dry Soil: The soil in the Pinelands is mostly sand, which drains quickly. This leads to extremely dry conditions on the surface, even after light rain, allowing fires to start and spread rapidly.
• Historical Fires: For centuries, wildfires have been a natural part of the Pinelands ecology, with historic accounts dating back to the Lenape Indians who used controlled burns to improve hunting and travel.

This natural volatility means that even small ignition sources—whether from a lightning strike or, more commonly, human activity—can quickly escalate into a major incident requiring large-scale fire suppression efforts by the NJFFS.

Understanding the Causes and Prevention of Wildfires

While natural causes like lightning exist, the vast majority of wildfires in New Jersey are caused by human carelessness. The NJ Forest Fire Service consistently tracks the primary ignition sources, highlighting the need for public vigilance and education.

Top Human Causes of Wildland Fires in New Jersey

According to official state data, the top causes of forest fires are preventable and often linked to recreational or residential activities:

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• Carelessly Discarded Smoking Materials: Matches, cigarettes, cigars, and pipe heels that are not completely extinguished remain a leading cause, often accounting for over 10% of all fires.
• Debris and Campfire Burning: Unattended or improperly extinguished campfires, or the illegal burning of residential debris, are frequent culprits, especially during dry or windy conditions.
• Arson: Intentional setting of fires, unfortunately, accounts for a significant portion of incidents each year.
• Equipment and Vehicle Use: Sparks from machinery, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), or even hot exhaust pipes coming into contact with dry grass can easily start a fire.

The increase in fire severity, such as the major incident that burned over 15,000 acres in the Pine Barrens in April 2024, is often exacerbated by drought warnings and periods of high wind.

5 Critical Wildfire Prevention and Safety Tips

The best defense against a wildfire is proactive preparedness. The NJFFS, in partnership with the Firewise program, urges all residents, particularly those near forested areas, to take immediate action. This is the essence of the "Ready, Set, Go!" action guide.

1. Create Defensible Space: Establish a minimum fuel break of at least 30 feet around your home. This involves removing flammable vegetation, dead leaves, and debris. This zone provides a critical safety buffer for your property and a safe zone for firefighters.

2. Maintain Your Roof and Gutters: Embers are the leading cause of home ignition. Clean your gutters and roof regularly to remove pine needles and leaves, which can easily catch fire. Use fire-resistant roofing materials if possible.

3. Practice Safe Burning: Obtain all necessary permits before any open burning (where permitted). Never leave a fire unattended, and always have a water source and tools available to completely extinguish it. Adhere to all current local and county restrictions and the Fire Danger Indices.

4. Establish an Emergency and Communication Plan: Have a family evacuation plan and a communication strategy. Know when to evacuate and where to go. Sign up for local alerts, such as the AlertMeDEP system, for real-time wildfire or prescribed burning notifications.

5. Prepare Your Home for Evacuation: If a wildfire is approaching, turn off pilot lights, bring in flammable items from outside (patio furniture, doormats), and close all windows and doors to prevent smoke and embers from entering.

By regularly consulting the official map of nj wildfire dashboards and implementing these prevention strategies, New Jersey residents can significantly reduce their risk and support the ongoing efforts of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.