Firefighters made significant progress on Friday in their battle against a wildfire that has spread across the New Jersey-New York border, bringing their containment efforts closer to full control.

The wildfire, known as the Jennings Creek fire, is reported to be about 90% contained on the New Jersey side in Passaic County, while about 70% of the blaze is contained in Orange County, New York.

The fire has scorched an area of approximately 7 1/2 square miles (19.4 square kilometers) across both states, although officials in New York have indicated that this area may grow slightly in the coming days.

As the weekend approaches, there are predictions for stronger winds, which could hinder firefighting efforts and complicate containment strategies. Unfortunately, the weather forecast indicates that rain is not expected until Thursday, leading firefighters to continue their presence on the ground until considerable rainfall occurs.

Tragically, the fire has claimed the life of a parks worker from New York who was aiding firefighting teams last week.

The exact cause of the wildfire remains under investigation, and New Jersey fire authorities have announced that they will discontinue routine updates unless unexpected complications arise.