NJ and NY Area Being Overcrowded by a Fire?!

Trigger Warning
Shotgun
Wildfire
Loss of life



New Jersey and its neighboring states were shrouded in a sudden wildfire on November 6. The fire was first spotted near the building of Central Jersey Rifle & Pistol Club in Jackson, New Jersey. This wildfire was categorized as an arson attack, from the fragments of a “Dragon’s Breath” 12-gauge shotgun. Before a full fledged search was warranted, the user, of the name; Richard Shashaty, personally gave in to the police department, in the lapse of five days.

The “Dragon Breath” shotgun contains magnesium shards that have the burn power of 3,000 to 4,000 °F, having the appearance of a flamethrower. One difference is; the “Dragon Breath” shotgun has double the times of heat power with flamethrowers having the temperature range of 1,470 to 2,190 °F.

The lack of recent rain and high winds developed major issues for the fire to escalate in 4.7 square miles up north. No one was prepared for the North-western area to ever be surrounded by flames. Back in the area of Jackson, the approximate amount of buildings and homes have led to 40 and counting, in the days coming up to October 1st. Now called the “Shotgun” wildfire, these flames have reached from Jackson to areas like Orange County, NY and Passaic County, NJ. 

The Bergen County fire departments weren’t prepared to fend off the countless wildfires, to the point that large numbers of volunteers came to assist. Even with the abundant amount of manpower, the wildfire is at a dangerously low 20% of containment, as of early December. As of now, only one death has been recorded. A young man named Dariel Vasquez, who was working as a New York State parks employee and firefighter volunteer passed away from a falling tree, surrounded by the fire.