Smoke Expected in South Jersey Today

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is conducting prescribed burns throughout the area.

Mar. 29, 2026 at 12:48pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A sweeping, atmospheric landscape painting in muted earth tones, with heavy smoke haze obscuring the details of the forested terrain and any visible structures or objects.Smoke from controlled burns blankets the South Jersey landscape, a necessary precaution against the threat of larger, more dangerous wildfires.Mays Landing Today

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is conducting a number of controlled, prescribed burns in several locations across South Jersey today, including in Atlantic and Cape May counties. These intentional small fires are meant to reduce hazardous fire spots that could fuel larger wildfires later in the season by burning brush, dead wood, and pine needles.

Why it matters

Prescribed burns are a common forest management practice to mitigate the risk of dangerous wildfires, but the smoke can be an inconvenience for local residents. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is providing advance notice to the public about the planned burns to help manage expectations.

The details

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has scheduled prescribed burns in several locations in Atlantic and Cape May counties today, including Weymouth Road south of the Black Horse Pike, Batsto Road near Nesco Road, an area between the Garden State Parkway and Route 9 north of the Avalon Golf Club, and near Route 47 and Cooks Beach Road.

  • The prescribed burns are scheduled for Sunday, March 29th.

The players

New Jersey Forest Fire Service

The state agency responsible for managing and preventing wildfires in New Jersey.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

While the smoke from these controlled burns may be an inconvenience for some residents, the prescribed fire management practice is an important tool for reducing the risk of larger, more dangerous wildfires in the future.