What does ‘John Wick’ have to do with the N.J. wildfires?

Thousands of New Jersey firefighters have had a rough few weeks, fighting multiple simultaneous wildfires across the state that left one dead.

Sunday night’s rain, however, helped dampen flames and smoke from the three fires that had been burning in South Jersey. Though the New Jersey Forest Fire Service was the primary firefighting agency, it has brought in fire companies from throughout the region to help with wildfires that started burning in October, which marked the driest month in the state’s history.

As of Monday, the three major fires in South Jersey were controlled, and an arrest was made in one that authorities say began at gun range where a man was firing Dragon’s Breath shotgun shells, which are designed to spread flames.

In North Jersey, emergency crews are mourning the loss 18-year-old Dariel Vasques, a New York State Forest ranger helping battle the 3,000-acre Jennings Creek Wildfire burning in both Passaic County, New Jersey, and Orange County, New York. Sunday’s rain helped give rest to crews that had been working nonstop to contain the fire.

Here’s the status of the South Jersey fires that began burning last week, all of which began amid an extreme drought in the state.

Crews have made substantial progress fighting what the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has dubbed the Shotgun Wildfire, with 90% contained as of Friday. Officials have not updated the status of the fire as of Monday morning.

But it tore through 350 acres in the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area in the area of Stump Tavern Road in Jackson Township, Ocean County, not far from Six Flags Great Adventure. The fire began Nov. 6., burned 350 acres, and caused evacuations.

On Sunday, authorities arrested Richard Shashaty, 37, of Brick Township, and charged him with arson and firearms violations after allegedly firing prohibited Dragon’s Breath shotgun ammunition. He was using the ammo while at the Central Jersey Rifle Range, where authorities say the fire ignited.

» READ MORE: Man charged with arson in the ‘Shotgun’ wildfire near Six Flags Great Adventure

Shashaty turned himself in at the Jackson Township Police Department headquarters over the weekend, accompanied by his attorney, officials said. He was transferred to the Ocean County Jail, where he awaits a detention hearing.

According to authorities, Shashaty was firing rounds of Dragon’s Breath 12-gauge from a shotgun, emitting magnesium shards that ignited “combustibles on the berm of the shooting range.”

The firing of incendiary or tracer ammunition is prohibited in New Jersey. Officials said Shashaty was responsible for firing the ammunition. The ammo is designed to produce a pyrotechnic effect.

For example, Phoenix Rising advertises its “Super Dragon’ Dragon’s Breath” 12-gauge rounds, saying they have “an incredible range of 200 plus yards and a burn rate of over 5,000 degrees. It is the highest quality and most effective round of its type made. While it is extremely fun to shoot, it is also an effective deterrent.”

The company notes that the Dragon’s Breath rounds became much more popular after the release of John Wick: Chapter 4, part of the popular hyper-violent eponymous series. The Dragon’s Breath scene has been analyzed by various aficionados. New York magazine’s culture website, Vulture, for example, wrote a lengthy breakdown of the “Dragon’s Breath” scene, and many have posted clips of it across social media.

The rounds became so popular, they had to be back-ordered.

The wildfire that broke out in the Glassboro Wildlife Management Area in Gloucester County, and first spotted from the Blue Anchor Fire Tower on Nov. 7, burned through 133 acres, and was 75% contained as of Friday, the last update from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Firefighters remained on the scene for days, and the blaze produced significant amounts of smoke that could be seen and smelled for days.

No more updates are expected, as officials considered the fire no longer a threat.

As of Friday, crews had contained 90% of the a 360-acre wildfire that broke out on the border of Burlington and Camden Counties on Nov. 7, where it was originally spotted from the Medford Fire Tower. The fire burned near the popular Black Run Preserve in Evesham and smoke could be seen in Philadelphia. It caused the evacuation of 12 homes. However, residents were later allowed to return home.

Though it rained overnight Sunday into Monday, a persistent drought still affects the Philadelphia region. Officially, 0.31 inches was measured at Philadelphia International Airport, and was not close to putting a dent into the deficit, though it did improve fire conditions.

The drought has been acute in South Jersey, where some counties were suffering from 10-inch rain deficits the past 90 days — prior to the rain. The state issued a ban on open fires in October and has asked residents to voluntary conserve water. There is no rain in the forecast for the next week.