Monday March 15 News Updates Lakewood

Weather: Plentiful sunshine. High 42F. Winds NW at 15 to 25 mph.

- Corrected: No new covid cases in Lakewood totals 12987/283 OCHD revised total down by 1

- 8:00 pm The New Jersey Forest Fire Service says the Lakewood fire is now 100% contained and all roadways in the vicinity are now open.

-6:00 pm Fire Update: By early afternoon Monday, the fire was 75% contained, and authorities expected that percentage to increase  A firefighter with the Forest Fire Service remained in critical condition Monday in a nearby hospital. DEP official called the blaze  “a very, very near catastrophe. We were very fortunate in avoiding any more damage than what occurred.”(NJ12)

-Murphy issues statement "Grateful to our brave New Jersey DEP Forest Fire Service members and state and local emergency responders who helped contain the wildfire in Lakewood yesterday. We must all remain careful and vigilant during wildfire season.

- A conference call  last year March 31 NJ Health Commissioner with nursing home operators that they were expected to allow nursing home patients recovering from COVID-19 to return from the hospital and would be required to  separate them from other residents.  “Patients will die,” an unidentified administrator declared, according to a recording of the meeting obtained by NJ Advance Media. “You understand that by asking us to take COVID patients, by demanding we take COVID patients, that patients will die in nursing homes that wouldn’t have otherwise died had we screened them out.”(NJ.com)

- Critics on social media call out Gov Murphy for not commenting on the Lakewood fire 

- Lakewood Mayor: No homes in Lakewood were damaged but that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is still staging equipment in town in case there are flare-ups(NJ)

-Firefighters are still combating yesterday's forest fire small pockets remain 

-Food distribution: Klausenberg Registration for pesach box delivery here

Yesodei Hatorah registration for delivery here

 -The origin of a Lakewood brush fire has been identified and the cause is under investigation, the state forest fire service said. The agency said a prescribed burn was not responsible (NBC4)

- Fire update: Stage 3 fire restrictions remain in place -Over 50% contained, Rt 70 exit to GSP closed,170 acres burned.

- Moadim L'simcha Pesach distribution scheduled for today by appointment only starting  1pm at the stadium

- Brick Lake Park - just look at the burn marks of these front lawns - at one point 30 engines were in this development protecting the homes. (Nj12)