New Jersey has declared a drought warning as dry conditions continue, asking residents to conserve water voluntarily.

In New Jersey, the lack of significant rainfall since August contributed to dry conditions that have allowed two major wildfires to erupt.

About an hour after it concluded, the department announced a press briefing for Wednesday “to discuss the state entering Drought Warning status as prolonged dry periods continue statewide.” The New Jersey Forest Fire Service says conditions in the state are the driest they have been in nearly 120 years.

The drought warning is N.J.'s first in nearly a decade. Officials urged voluntary conservation and water systems face additional oversight.

New Jersey declared a statewide drought warning Wednesday, as water levels dropped throughout the state and several wildfires continued burning. According to weather officials, the state saw just 0.02 inches of rain in October and about a half-inch the first few days of November,