Prescribed or controlled burns are conducted annually by the State Forest Fire Service to reduce the risk of wildfires in New Jersey's wooded areas. Under a new state law, the burns also have a secondary benefit. State Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Caryn Shinske says they burn "materials that have the potential to fuel wildfires." "Those are things like twigs and branches and dry leaves that gather and collect on forest floors and when New Jersey gets into peak wildfire season. If you have all the material on the ground, it acts as a fuel and it can fuel the intensity of the wildfire. It's almost like an accelerant," she said.
Under the Prescribed Burn Act signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last summer, burns are also used to improve and manage the habitats of certain wildlife.