Wildfire in New Jersey’s Wharton State Forest burns 1,750 acres, 2 campgrounds evacuated
By Jessica MacAulay, Alexandra Simon, Atheer Hussein, Ryan Hughes
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New Jersey (KYW) — Two New Jersey campgrounds were evacuated as fire crews work to contain a wildfire that broke out in Wharton State Forest in Waterford Saturday afternoon, officials said.
In an update Sunday morning, the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service said the fire, known as the California Branch Wildfire, grew from 1,000 to 1,750 acres overnight. However, the fire is now 50% contained.
The Atsion and Goshen Pond Campgrounds were evacuated Saturday night and remain closed Sunday, though no buildings or homes have had to be evacuated.
The following road closures within the Wharton State Forest also remain in effect:
Raritan Avenue Old Atsion Road 5 Mile Crossing Goshen Pond
The NJFFS says another update is expected around 6 p.m. Sunday.
Winds, drought conditions help fuel wildfire
Mike Lupinetti lives in one of the 18 homes that sit near the wildfire, but luckily officials said the flames are moving in the opposite direction.
“It’s a little scary because it could jump it could get close,” he said. “When I came home from dinner I went out and checked my hoses and made sure I had enough hoses ready just in case.”
“Humidity dropped out, wind really kicked up and started being a wind driven wildfire, so at that point, it’s hard to catch up to it,” said Chief Bill Donnelly, New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
Donnelly said the flames were first spotted by a fire tower around 1:30 pm near Raritan Avenue, but the wildfire likely sparked sometime before dawn Saturday.
Fueled by the winds and dry conditions, Donnelly said this is now the state’s fourth major wildfire this year.
“We are coming into a severe drought in portions of Southern New Jersey, we haven’t started off a fire season in a severe drought so if we don’t get some serious relief, I think our folks out in the field are going to have their hands full,” Donnelly said.
Lupinetti told CBS News Philadelphia there have been wildfires near his home before, but this is certainly the closest and the most unnerving.
“Yeah, I’ll probably be up a little later tonight than normal just keeping an eye to see if I see any fire,” he said.
The NJFFS said crews are constructing and strengthening containment lines while a backfiring operation continues to help contain the fire. An observation helicopter is also on the scene.
The cause of the wildfire is still under investigation.
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