Fire burning in NJ's Wharton State Forest; Batona Campground evacuated
TABERNACLE, N.J. (CBS) -- The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is responding to a 450-acre wildfire in Wharton State Forest.
The Batona Campground in the forest has been evacuated after the fire, which the service is labeling as the Tea Time Hill Wildfire. The NJFFS said at least two structures in the area of the fire are threatened.
WILDFIRE UPDATE: Wharton State Forest - Tabernacle Twp, Burlington County@NJDEPForestFire is on scene of a wildfire burning in the area of the Batona Campground and Apple Pie Hill in Wharton SF.
— New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) July 5, 2024
ACREAGE & CONTAINMENT
🔥 Size: 450 acres
🔥 Containment: 0% contained pic.twitter.com/r6nhJFy1DO
The Batona Trail is also closed between Route 532 and Carranza Road. There are local road closures in the forest.
Forest fires are declared "major" once they reach 100 acres in size.
According to Meteorologist Grant Gilmore, Friday's weather conditions are not particularly conducive to fires, with high humidity and a lack of a strong wind that could carry flames. However, parts of the state are under moderate drought conditions which began last week for the first time since December.
Even though we are still in the surplus for rainfall on the year, the heat over the last month combined with relatively little recent rain has caused things to dry out pretty quickly.
In 2023, more than 18,000 acres of forest were burned in New Jersey. The NJFFS responded to more major fires than they had in over 20 years.
The state's first major wildfire of 2024 was the County Line wildfire between Burlington and Camden counties.
This is a developing story and will be updated.