Fires could burn more than 7 million acres in 2025 as the United States faces a volatile year for wildfires, including areas devastated by Hurricane Helene last September. Weather conditions improved in New Jersey Wednesday, aiding firefighters battling a large wildfire that burned more than 8,500 acres in the southern part of the state earlier in the week. That briefly shut down the Garden State Parkway and prompted evacuations for about 3000 people.

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