Wildfires on East and West Coasts continue to burn as one turns deadly

Nov 11

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Video Editor)

Crews on both sides of the U.S. coast continue to battle wildfires as one turned deadly in New York and New Jersey. Officials said a tree fell on an 18-year-old park employee, killing him on Sunday, Nov. 10.

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New York state officials said while they do all they can to protect themselves, there are always dangers.

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“Wildland firefighting is a very dangerous profession, and we try to take as many precautions as we can to mitigate some of the hazards that are out there in the wild land fire environment, but occasionally, accidents do happen. Unfortunately, one of our firefighters did pass away yesterday assisting with fire line construction,” Jeremy Oldroyd from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation said.

Oldroyd offered his condolences to the victim’s loved ones.

Meanwhile, New Jersey officials said on Sunday that the Jennings Creek Fire, located on the border between New York and New Jersey, threatened more than two dozen structures and was only 10% contained.

However, New Jersey firefighters did make progress on the 175-acre Cannonball 3 Fire in the northeastern portion of the state, reaching 100% containment.

Additionally, New Jersey prosecutors announced arson charges in connection with the Jackson Township Fire that started on Wednesday, Nov. 7. They said a shotgun round with magnesium shards sparked the 350-acre fire. New Jersey authorities say that firing an “incendiary or tracer ammunition” is barred in the state.

As a result of the smoke from the fires, New Jersey and New York officials issued health advisories for at-risk populations and urged many to stay indoors or avoid strenuous activity.

On the West Coast, in California, firefighters are making progress against the Mountain Fire northwest of Los Angeles.

The fire has forced thousands of Californians to evacuate their homes, and more than 130 structures have been destroyed by the fire fueled by strong winds and dry conditions. The fire was at 32 square miles on Sunday as it continues to threaten Ventura County communities.

Tags: California, Death, natural disaster, New Jersey, New York, New York City, Wildfire

[KARAH RUCKER]

CREWS ON THE U-S’ EAST AND WEST COASTS CONTINUE TO BATTLE WILDFIRES.

INCLUDING A FIRE IN NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY THAT HAS TURNED DEADLY.

KILLING AN 18-YEAR-OLD PARKS EMPLOYEE.

OFFICIALS SAY A TREE FELL ON THE YOUNG MAN KILLING HIM.

[JEREMY OLDROYD]

WILD LAND FIREFIGHTING IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROFESSION, AND WE TRY TO TAKE AS MANY PRECAUTIONS AS WE CAN TO MITIGATE SOME OF THE HAZARDS THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THE WILD LAND FIRE ENVIRONMENT. BUT OCCASIONALLY, ACCIDENTS DO HAPPEN. UNFORTUNATELY, ONE OF OUR FIREFIGHTERS DID PASS AWAY YESTERDAY ASSISTING WITH FIRE LINE CONSTRUCTION.”

[KARAH RUCKER]

NEW JERSEY STATE OFFICIALS SAID SUNDAY THE SO-CALLED JENNING CREEK FIRE THREATENED MORE THAN TWO DOZEN STRUCTURES AND IT WAS ONLY 10 PERCENT CONTAINED.

NEW JERSEY FIREFIGHTERS DID MAKE PROGRESS ON A 175-ACRE FIRE IN THE NORTHERN PORTION OF THE STATE– GETTING TO 100 PERCENT CONTAINMENT.

NEW JERSEY PROSECUTORS ALSO ANNOUNCED ARSON CHARGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE JACKSON TOWNSHIP FIRE THAT ERUPTED WEDNESDAY.

THEY SAY A SHOTGUN ROUND WITH MAGNESIUM SHARDS SPARKED THE 350-ACRE FIRE.

OFFICIALS SAY FIRING AN “INCENDIARY OR TRACER AMMUNITION” IS BARRED IN THE STATE.

NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK OFFICIALS SAY FIRES ARE BEING FED BY UNUSUALLY DRY CONDITIONS AND ISSUED SMOKE ADVISORIES FROM NORTHEAST JERSEY TO NEW YORK CITY.

IN CALIFORNIA, FIREFIGHTERS ARE MAKING PROGRESS AGAINST THE SO-CALLED MOUNTAIN FIRE NORTHWEST OF LOS ANGELES.

THOUSANDS OF CALIFORNIANS HAVE EVACUATED AND MORE THAN 130 STRUCTURES HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY THE FIRE FUELED BY STRONG WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS.

THE FIRE WAS AT 32 SQUARE MILES WITH JUST 26 PERCENT CONTAINMENT SUNDAY AS IT CONTINUES TO THREATEN VENTURA COUNTY COMMUNITIES.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M KARAH RUCKER.