Firefighting teams faced significant challenges on Sunday as they battled a wildfire along the New York-New Jersey border. The fire breached a containment line, leading to the evacuation of over 160 homes the night before.

Officials had issued a voluntary evacuation to allow firefighting operations to proceed without interruption through the night. This advisory will remain effective until Monday, according to Jesse Dwyer, a supervisor in Warwick, New York, who shared an update on Facebook.

“Our firefighting teams successfully protected structures overnight, and currently no buildings are threatened,” Dwyer reported.

Residents were permitted to return home, but officials in Warwick announced an extension of the state of emergency in Orange County. They urged individuals in the evacuation zone to stay put to support the ongoing firefighting efforts.

The wildfire, which ignited on November 8 and has scorched over 5,000 acres in both states, is reported to be approximately 90% under control. However, the breach of the containment line necessitated an emergency response, prompting the evacuation of hundreds and the establishment of a shelter at a nearby middle school.

“We got home, packed just the essentials and important documents, and then came here,” said Viktoria Kall, who told CBS News she arrived at the shelter around midnight.

Fire crews have been using water dropped from New York Air National Guard helicopters to combat the flames, which the New York State Park Police noted are “contained by fire lines.” The police reported a slight increase in the fire’s area, by only four or five acres.

The section of fire that crossed the containment line did not reach the backup line, according to their social media update.

Weather conditions hinder efforts

Unfavorable weather conditions have complicated the battle against the fire, and no significant rainfall is anticipated until possibly Thursday.

The National Weather Service has issued a warning on Sunday about the increased risk of wildfires spreading in New Jersey’s Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties.

Both New Jersey and southeastern New York have been experiencing severe drought conditions, which have intensified the fire hazard. In light of this, New York Governor Kathy Hochul enforced a statewide ban on outdoor burning through the end of November due to the dry weather.

New York combats brush fires

Recent brush fires within Manhattan’s Inwood Hill Park and Brooklyn’s Prospect Park have heightened awareness regarding the significant rise in such incidents this year in New York City. The local fire department recorded an unprecedented 229 brush fires in just two weeks from October 29 to November 11.

In response, Fire Department Commissioner Robert Tucker has initiated the formation of a brush fire task force, comprising fire marshals, fire inspectors, and tactical drone units to address the record increase in brush fires throughout the five boroughs, according to FDNY’s social media update on Sunday.

Additionally, the department is actively engaging in safety outreach in the city to mitigate the risk of brush fires. A couple of brush fires near Bronx Amtrak tracks last week caused a significant disruption to the train service connecting Penn Station to Boston for over 24 hours.

(This story has been updated with new information.)