New Jersey residents continue to deal with heavy smoke left over from Glassboro wildfire
South Jersey communities are still feeling the effects of heavy smoke from the Pheasant Run Wildfire in Glassboro that blanketed the region over the weekend.
The wildfire is currently burning 133 acres of the Glassboro Wildlife Management Area, and, as of mid-afternoon Monday, it's 75% contained.
While the smoke has dissipated markedly since Sunday, people in Washington Township and Glassboro can still smell smoke in their homes, cars and businesses.
Suzanne Cinaglia works at Cherry Blow Dry Bar in Glassboro, and she said Sunday's smoky conditions forced the business to close for the day, which resulted in a financial hit for the stylists.
"It was pretty crazy. It was something I've never really even seen before," Cinaglia said. "There was a bunch of smoke the closer I got to Glassboro. I couldn't even see the [traffic] lights being red or green."
Gloucester County Emergency Management coordinator Jack DeAngelo said the county's 911 center received many calls Sunday from people whose carbon monoxide alarms went off because of the smoke.
"I woke up to a beeping CO alarm in my residence as well," DeAngelo said. "I had 40 parts per million in my house. Again, that may seem high. It's not relatively high at all. Anywhere around 200 is where we'll start evacuating from a fire service [perspective]."
Thankfully, he said that of all the calls firefighters responded to Sunday, no home had any carbon monoxide levels high enough to force an evacuation.
"Take advantage of the nice days like [Monday]," DeAngelo said. "I can promise you every door and window in my house are wide open right now, kinda venting that out, making sure the smoke gets out of my house as well."
Annika Vojnyk is taking advantage of Monday's nice weather to walk her dog.
"I was really thankful to see that, and today, it's a lot sunnier and nice," Vojnyk said. "People are walking outside and enjoying the weather."
Despite the breezy weather, Cinaglia said it hasn't been easy getting rid of the smell of smoke.
"It still smells," Cinaglia said. "I got in my car today to come to work and just from being here for an hour yesterday, it was all trapped inside my car."