In April, hundreds of New Jersey residents were evacuated from a fire that ripped through almost 4,000 acres. The wildfire ignited in the Pine Barrens about 50 miles from Philadelphia, closing roads in rural Manchester Township.
In June, the Adirondacks saw dark sepia skies clouded with pollution from uncontrolled wildfires in Quebec. The low-hanging smoke caused unhealthy air quality for residents and warnings from state officials to stay indoors. State Department of Environmental Conservation leaders urged New Yorkers to refrain from outdoor burning because of the high risk of forest fires.
Visitors used to the sweet scent of balsam fir instead smelled fire as the thick plume of smoke from the north acted as a reminder of the changing climate’s susceptibility to natural disasters.
