The governor of New Jersey is concerned that New York is ill-equipped to combat the horrific flames that have just swept across California.
During a news conference on wildfire preparedness on Thursday, New York Governor Phil Murphy referred to the absence of a state fire department as “beyond belief.”
Firefighters from both states fought a 5,000-acre fire along their shared forest border in northern New Jersey three months ago, prompting these remarks. The two-week-long November blaze, which began close to the state line, was finally put out.
Murphy, a Democrat, criticized New York for lacking a statewide Forest Fire Service and praised his home state’s analogous department, which employs sixty people.
“They don’t have what we have,” he remarked, adding, “it was, fair to say, extremely challenging” to put out the flames at the New York state border. “Do you really believe that’s absurd?” With over 20 million people calling New York home, the absence of a state forest fire service undoubtedly contributed to the difficulty of the situation and, in my opinion, the length of time it took to get the fire under control.
The Jennings Creek Fire, the biggest fire in New York since 2008, forced the evacuation of residents and the death of a single firefighter from a New York state park.
While the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation does its best to coordinate responses to wildfires on state property, it is the local fire departments who do the bulk of the fighting. The approximately 150 forest rangers in the state are prepared to put out fires, but they also have several other duties, such as protecting 6 million acres of public territory and rescuing hikers.
Considering how often authorities stress cooperation in times of crisis, Murphy’s remarks were shockingly sharp. Interstate disputes over the enforcement of their shared shoreline and the imposition of new tolls on traffic in New Jersey have strained his otherwise cordial relationship with fellow Democrat New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
Both governors’ offices attempted to defuse the wildfire comments on Thursday afternoon by applauding the cooperation and coordination of the other state’s firefighters.
“Our administration launched a coordinated response with every available resource to help our first responders contain the fire. This could not have been possible without working in close coordination with our partners in New Jersey,” Hochul spokesperson Paul DeMichele said. “Whenever a fire or other natural disaster endangers communities in our states, we will always work together. We are thankful for our partnership with New Jersey.”
When a fire threatens communities in both states, as was shown during the Jennings Creek Wildfire, the governor “is grateful for the partnership and communication between New Jersey and New York,” according to Stella Porter, who is a spokesman for Murphy.
The New York Department of Environmental Conservation reports that the origin and specific cause of the fire are currently under investigation.
Democratic senator from Westchester County in New York, Pete Harckham, made the observation that New York is far larger than New Jersey. It may not be the ideal strategy in New York, according to Harckham, but in a tiny geographic area with varied terrain, a state fire department may make sense. However, in light of the increasing likelihood of climate-driven wildfires, the congressman emphasized that New York should investigate potential responses.
If Phil Murphy says anything, Harckham typically doesn’t listen. Our capabilities and protocols are not lacking; in fact, the fire services have them. Is there enough, considering the impact of climate change? Personally, I don’t think so.
With a population over three times that of New York, California is home to its own state fire department.
The establishment of a nationwide fire service cannot be promised in a single budget, according to Harckham. It is imperative that we formulate a comprehensive plan to address the changing environment on a state level.
Low staffing levels, according to the union representing DEC’s forest rangers and police officers, hinder the state’s response operations. Even months before the Jennings Creek fire, a union leader had voiced the opinion that the department should deploy forest rangers to help with wildfires outside of New York so they may get the knowledge they need to respond to fires in New York.
“We have members that are wildfire qualified that could go but were denied because of short staffing,” stated Matt Krug, an environmental conservation officer and union leader.
The Department of Environmental Conservation reports that over 100 of its employees, including over 150 forest rangers, have received wildfire fighting training. Prescribed burns are another tool used by forest rangers to lessen the likelihood of wildfires on public property. Additionally, the agency is responsible for educating the public and enforcing burn limits.
When major wildfires occur in New York, forest rangers spearhead the response, and other state and federal agencies are on standby should the state need help.
Firefighters had a hard time coordinating their efforts at first “because the way they fight fires is not the way New Jersey approaches a wildfire,” according to West Milford, New Jersey’s mayor, who lives in close proximity to the border fire.
Dale pleaded with Murphy to find a way for New Jersey to assist New York during a call that took place while the fire was raging. According to Dale, “I said, ‘Look, we kind of need to take control of this because we cannot keep waiting for New York resources.'” This was during an interview.
In light of recent global events and the devastating winter storms that hit the state, Murphy’s decision to attend a roundtable discussion in Burlington County to address wildfires may look out of place. However, the governor mentioned that the Los Angeles fires and the fact that last year’s October was the state’s driest on record were also occupying his thoughts.
“You can’t provide an answer without any information,” he stated.
The concerns of officials in the Garden State over wildfires have changed somewhat, as Murphy has shifted his attention to New York. The south of the state, which is more rural, has a higher fire frequency. Northern areas, nearer to large populations, were the sites of the border fire last autumn.
The most well-known rivers that connect New York and New Jersey are the Hudson River and New York Harbor. However, the two states also share a 50-mile land boundary, with a significant portion of that border being covered in forests. That burnt down last fall, and here is a section of it.