New Jersey's largest wildfire in 15 years may point to a similar trend to NorCal fire seasons

California's long, hot, dry summers make wildfires a natural part of life. But a wildfire can start and spread anywhere in the world, given the right conditions. Earlier this week, firefighters in southern New Jersey were battling an unusually large blaze in the state's wildlands known as the Pine Barrens. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Mullica River Fire burned 14,990 acres from when it started last Saturday evening to when it was fully contained late Wednesday. Not only was this fire magnitudes larger than normal for the region, it also occurred later than normal.