Farmers face challenging drought conditions across the Garden State

the big story on ation news tonight is the growing fire risk around the region as these bone dry conditions collide with near record warmth local officials now sending out some very Stark warnings the state of New Jersey already under a drought watch increased its posture today implementing fire restrictions Statewide but the lack of rain combined with Rising temperatures posing more than just the threat for wildfires several seasonal businesses say it's burning up their profits New Jersey correspondent Tris Hartman live in Su tonight Trish the effects of this are very real and getting worse with each day that's right Brian some of these fields here on this Farm many of them don't need extra water in the fall normally but this year is a completely different story the staff here at Duff Fields Farm working extra hard to keep everything watered the corn maze right behind me is one example of that now while the warm weather has customers coming in droves farmers are worried about what this weather will mean for next year's crops rows of pumpkins and piles of hay bales make for a perfect fall outing sunny sunny but today feels more like summer normally it's a little cooler I mean you can see as I'm dressed I have on like a this wool and I got a vest on from a selfish point of view I'm enjoying the weather I'm enjoying being outside but for the folks behind the scenes at duffield's farm and Su the weather has been challenging the trees the leaves will start um drying up the shriv a little bit so we have to try to be on the ball with that extra watering is needed with sprinklers and irrigation systems pick your own apples ended early this year because with the warm temperatures they were concerned about the success of next year's crops while the crowds have been steady here they're praying for rain it's not not going to be one inch or two inches going to have to be several inches spread out through a couple days to get uh you know get get these crops healthy again the New Jersey forest fire service says the risk for fire is high the folks that are in place now and you talk to some of the old-timers and stuff like that there they don't recall being this dry anytime over the uh the last few years the service has banned open burning no campfires or charcoal they also have more staff in place our fire towers are all staffed uh keeping an eye on things and we're providing for a rapid response in the event that uh folks in the tower SP uh spot any fires now right now New Jersey is in a drought watch so the state is asking people to voluntarily conserve water the next level would be a drought warning and then a drought emergency where mandatory water conservation would be mandated now officials say that is still a ways off but they will be monitoring conditions very closely we're live in SE New Jersey twit Hartman Channel 6 Action News Brian yeah it's getting really serious and cesie will have more on this coming up in just a bit little bit Trish thanks