Are backyard fire pits banned in New Jersey because of the drought? Here's what the rules say.

If you live in New Jersey and want to light a fire pit in your yard tonight, you may be violating the state's fire restrictions that went into effect this week to reduce the risk of severe wildfires.

The mandatory fire restrictions announced Monday “prohibit all fires unless they are contained to an elevated furnace that uses only propane, natural gas or electricity,” the state Department of Environmental Protection said in a news release issued Wednesday afternoon.

“No wood or charcoal fire is permitted and the use of kerosene or gas torches of any kind is prohibited while this restriction is in place,” the agency added.

The DEP noted that fire restrictions are not limited to parks, forests and recreation areas.

“The fire ban applies to all public properties and private property in all communities throughout the state,” the agency said.

Although the ban does not specifically mention fire pits, it makes it clear that any type of ground fire is prohibited. Exceptions are high-altitude appliances that run on propane, electricity or natural gas, as these types of burners have shut-off switches.

On this basis, elevated fireplaces powered by propane, natural gas or electricity are permitted. Fire pits that use other fire sources such as wood or charcoal are not permitted while fire restrictions are in place.

Although the restrictions may seem drastic, state officials say they are necessary to prevent small fires from growing larger or getting out of control.

They said they are particularly concerned about the next few days as drier weather is expected with very low humidity and wind gusts of more than 20 mph.

The combination of low humidity, extremely dry brush and gusty winds could set the stage for rapidly spreading wildfires.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service, which has already seen an increase in fires this unusually dry fall, said it has “commissioned additional air resources capable of dropping 600 gallons of water at once in the event of a wildfire.”

In addition, “watchers at fire towers across the state are keeping a close lookout for signs of wildfires and taking daily weather readings, including temperature, humidity and a drought index that indicates unprecedented dryness.”

“This has raised concerns about the potential for rapid spread of wildfires in the state,” the Forest Fire Department noted.

“We are currently experiencing some of the driest conditions anywhere, making our forests, particularly the vast Pinelands region of southern New Jersey, particularly vulnerable to wildfires that could spread very quickly and endanger property,” said DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette.

“It is vital that the public takes extra care when it comes to fire safety and does not use open flames,” he added.

Red flag warnings in 11 counties

Due to extremely dry conditions and increased wildfire danger, the National Weather Service has issued a red flag fire warning for Thursday in 11 New Jersey counties.

The warning applies to Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Ocean, Salem and west Monmouth.

It will come into effect from 11am to 6pm on Thursday, when light westerly winds of up to 30mph at times are forecast.

“A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are occurring either now or soon due to a combination of high winds, low relative humidity and dry fuels,” the weather service noted. “Fires that develop can quickly get out of control and be difficult to contain.”