At least six actively burning fires, spurred by dry conditions and gusty winds, have stretched from central and western New Jersey's Pinelands to the suburbs surrounding New York City.

With New Jersey experiencing a record-breaking dry spell, having not seen measurable rainfall for over a month, efforts to contain the fires have been particularly arduous. The most recent inferno, named the Jennings Creek Wildfire, ignited on Saturday in West Milford and propelled smoke across Bergen County and into Manhattan. By mid-afternoon, the fire had already ravaged 1,800 acres and was completely uncontained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported.

As of Saturday afternoon, the Jennings Creek blaze had scorched through 162 acres and was 50% contained. Although no evacuation orders were issued, officials warned the fire posed a threat to 55 nearby structures.

A separate fire erupted in Englewood Cliffs near Exit 1 on the Palisades Parkway on Friday, roughly one mile north of the George Washington Bridge. By Saturday, it had consumed 39 acres and was 40% under control, according to the Forest Fire Service.

In New York City, residents in Upper Manhattan and parts of the Bronx awoke on Saturday to the pervasive smell of smoke. Footage from LaGuardia Airport revealed a brown fog draping over the Manhattan skyline, a phenomenon that worsened throughout the day. The smoke was substantial enough to be visible on satellite images, as noted by National Weather Service meteorologist John O'Hara.

The smoky conditions are expected to persist through the weekend as the Northeast faces one of its driest periods on record, heightening the conditions favorable for wildfires. The New York Department of Environmental Conservation issued an Air Quality Health Advisory for the city, effective through Sunday, cautioning that the air could be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Though the risk to healthy individuals remains low, the Department of Health advised individuals experiencing symptoms like watery eyes, sore throats, headaches, or breathing difficulties to seek refuge indoors.

To further underscore the severity of the situation, Red Flag warnings were issued across the tristate area, encompassing New Jersey, New York City, and Fairfield County in Connecticut. The National Weather Service's alert pointed to critical fire weather conditions marked by low humidity, robust winds, and parched vegetation, creating a high risk of wildfires starting and spreading rapidly.