Dossier
Brian Gerber Jr.
Coverage of Brian Gerber Jr. in the Nexus archive.
- In 2025, 27,229 acres burned during N.J.’s wildfire season. Climate change is making them harder to contain
In 2025, New Jersey experienced 1,322 wildfires burning 27,229 acres, a 22% increase in fire count and 116% rise in acreage compared to the 20-year average. Climate change is extending wildfire seasons, with 99.6% of fires caused by human activities like vehicles, equipment malfunctions, and campfires. The Jones Road wildfire, caused by an illegal campfire, burned nearly 15,000 acres and displaced 7,000 people.
- In the AI era, New Jersey relies on humans and a 1911 invention to spot wildfires
New Jersey uses humans and a 1911 steel tower for wildfire detection. Brian Gerber Jr., a fire observer, spends eight hours daily scanning for smoke from a 100-foot-high tower in Wharton State Forest.