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West Milford Wildfire Swells To 3,500 Acres As Firefighters Battle Fierce Winds
The Jennings Creek Wildfire, now spanning 3,500 acres across Passaic County, NJ, and Orange County, NY, is only 20% contained, with strong winds and low humidity posing continued risks for rapid spread.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service and New York’s Division of Forest Protection and Fire Management are working in unified command to strengthen containment lines in preparation for tomorrow’s forecasted weather.
Firefighters focused efforts Tuesday, Nov. 12 on reinforcing the eastern containment line, using controlled burns to remove unburned pockets of fuel.
Resources deployed…
Hitchhiker's 50-Year-Cold Case Cracked By Ramapo College's Genealogy Center
After nearly five decades without answers, the 1974 murder of Mary Schlais has been solved, thanks to groundbreaking work by the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy (IGG) Center in Mahwah, NJ.
On Nov. 7, 2024, the Dunn County Sheriff’s Department announced the arrest of Jon Miller, 84, of Owatonna, MN, in connection with Schlais’s death.
Schlais, then 25, was hitchhiking from Minneapolis to Chicago when she was killed. Her body was found with multiple stab wounds along a road in Dunn County, WI, on Feb. 15, 1974.
At the scene, investigators collected a stocking cap t…
Bergen County Teen Dies In Fiery Crash On I-78 In PA: Coroner
A Saddle Brook, NJ teenager died in a car crash along Interstate 78 in Lehigh County early Monday, the coroner said.
Ciarra Sanchez, 19, was pronounced dead on-scene in Upper Saucon Township on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024, at 1:38 a.m., according to Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio.
Sanchez was the driver of a vehicle that veered off the eastbound side of I-78 at Mile Marker 60.3, striking a concrete bridge pillar, Buglio said.
Her cause of death was listed as multiple blunt force injuries due to the collision, with the manner of death ruled accidental.
Pennsylvania State Police at Fog…
Remembering Dariel Vasquez: 18-Year-Old HS Baseball Team Captain Killed In NY/NJ Wildfire
Shock and sadness spread following the death of 18-year-old firefighter Dariel Vasquez, who was killed on Saturday, Nov. 9, while bravely battling the Jennings Creek Wildfire that spread from New Jersey into Greenwood Lake, New York.
Vasquez, a young Parks and Recreation Aide with the New York State Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation Department, lost his life in the line of duty, a heartbreaking end to a life full of promise and service. New York State Police are investigating the circumstances of his death.
Known as a rising star in his community, Dariel was a former R…
Air Quality Levels Improve, 3,000-Acre Wildfire Still Raging In West Milford
A sprawling wildfire, now covering 3,000 acres, continues to burn through West Milford Monday, Nov. 11, however, air quality levels across the region have improved.
The Jennings Creek Wildfire threatens 24 structures across both New Jersey and New York, including two homes in New Jersey, eight historic buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District, and 14 structures on East Shore Road in Greenwood Lake, NY, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.
As of the latest update, the fire is only 10% contained, prompting officials to close East Shore and Beech Roads, along with all tr…
2,500-Acre Jennings Creek Wildfire Continues To Burn, Cannonball 3 Wildfire Mostly Contained
A massive wildfire spanning 2,500 acres is burning through West Milford, NJ, and into Orange County, NY, threatening homes and historic sites as firefighters battle to contain it.
Known as the Jennings Creek Wildfire, the blaze has put two residential buildings in New Jersey and 14 structures on East Shore Road in New York at risk, along with eight historic buildings in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in the latest update Sunday morning, Nov. 10.
Good Morning West Milford,
Today Forest Fire will begin back burn operations in the …
Dangerous Air Quality Levels Reported, New 1,800-Acre Wildfire Burns In West Milford
Three active wildfires in New Jersey are keeping firefighters busy this weekend as the air quality continues to worsen.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is working to contain fires in West Milford, Pompton Lakes, and Englewood Cliffs (scroll for details on each one).
AirNow.gov shows an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 171, or unhealthy, across North Jersey, as of 7:30 p.m., caused by the smoke that blanketed the region. Click here to see an active AQI map or click here to check your town's AQI.
Prolonged dry conditions, unseasonably warm temperatures, and strong winds have contribut…
Mughsots Released: SWAT Raid Uncovers 28K Fentanyl Pills, Meth, Ghost Guns In Bergen County
A major drug bust in Bergen County led to the seizure of tens of thousands of fentanyl-laced pills, along with cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and untraceable firearms, authorities said in announcing the arrests of the three men behind it.
Ramon Morillo, 39, of Fort Lee; Brandon Morillo, 31, of Lodi; and Joseph Diaz, 34, of Fort Lee, were arrested on Thursday, Nov. 7, following a months-long investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotic Task Force, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said.
The investigation began in July 2024, when detectives identified Mo…
Clifton Police Officer Joseph Pichnarcik Dies, 45
The Clifton Police Department is mourning the passing of one of its own, Officer Joseph A. Pichnarcik.
Pichnarcik died on Wednesday, Nov. 6, following a brave fight against a long-term illness, according to his department and his obituary on the Allwood Funeral Home website.
Officer Pichnarcik, who served the Clifton community with pride and commitment since joining in 2006, was known for his warm spirit, reliability, and the unwavering support he offered his fellow officers.
Before his tenure in Clifton, Officer Pichnarcik served with the Paterson Police Department.
Pichnarcik…
