NU Online News Service, April 11, 1:52 p.m.EDT

Wildfires in New Jersey and New York are prompting warnings ofan active fire season because of unusually dry conditions along theEast coast coupled with record high temperatures in March.

“In 2011, wildfires scorched more than eight million acresacross the United States, damaging thousands of homes, businessesand vehicles and causing $855 million in insured losses,” saysRobert P. Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institutein a statement. “With more than 15,000 temperature recordsbroken in the United States in March 2012 alone, combined withlow precipitation and little or no snowpack across much of thenation's lower 48 states, this year could be very active one forwildfires and brushfires, including parts of the Northeast wheresuch events are relatively uncommon.”

On Monday, wildfires ignited in Southern New Jersey's PineBarrens and in Staten Island and Long Island, N.Y. burningthousands of acres. Fortunately, there were no fatalities and onlya few injuries involving firefighters.

Reports say about three homes were destroyed by fire in SuffolkCounty, N.Y. on Long Island where New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomodeclared a state of emergency. The governor also noted there wasalso a fire that officials were dealing with in RocklandCounty.

On Staten Island, the fire was contained to the Fresh Killslandfill. While not threatening any homes, the smoke was denseenough to close a major expressway for a few hours untilfirefighters got the blaze under control Monday.

The New York and New Jersey regions are under Red Flag Warning,which means dry conditions make wildfires an ever present dangerand outdoor burning should be avoided.

The Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety notesthat the danger to property is increased in these areas wherepeople have decided to build near wildfire-prone land.

“People continue to move into areas where they can enjoy natureup close, have more privacy, and take advantage of recreationalopportunities and affordable living,” says Julie Rochman, IBHSpresident and chief executive officer.

Rochman urged property owners to review the Wildfire Retrofit Guide—Mid-Atlantic/NortheastEdition to address different architectural features and createa wildfire resistant landscape.