The weather conditions prompted red flag warnings in the northeastern part of the United States as California firefighters continued to battle a large wildfire that has burned more than 20,000 acres.

Much of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut are under a red flag warning on Tuesday due to dry and windy conditions. Massachusetts and Rhode Island are under the same warning, the National Weather Service in Boston said in a post on unknown.

The agency urged people to avoid open burning and activities that can produce sparks and to use caution when disposing of lighters, such as cigarettes.

The warnings come as a historic drought continues to affect much of the northeast. In New Jersey, three counties are experiencing “extreme” drought and the rest of the state is under severe or moderate drought conditions, according to the US Drought Monitor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Crews from New Jersey and New York continued to battle a wildfire in Passaic and Orange counties. Hell – nicknamed the Jennings Creek wildfire by the New Jersey Wildfire Service, had grown to 3,500 acres and was 20% contained as of Tuesday morning.

Two residential structures in New Jersey were threatened by the fire, the agency said in a update shortly after 9 a.m. Tuesday. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Another fire in Passaic County, New Jersey, the Cannonball 3 wildfire, was completely contained Sunday, the state wildfire service said.

In Massachusetts, more than a dozen wildfires were burning, NBC Boston reported. Dave Celino, fire chief for the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, told the news station that during the month of November there have been 247 fires across the state with nearly 700 acres burned.

“Some of them have grown, others have come out of their containment due to the wind event,” Celino said.

Across the country in California, the Mountain Fire continues to burn in Ventura County. The fire, which started Nov. 6, has grown to 20,630 acres and is 48% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.

At least 200 structures have been destroyed and six firefighters and civilians have been confirmed injured, Cal Fire said.