Officials: Several Small Forest Fires In South Jersey May Have Been Intentionally Set
PEMBERTON TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) -- Officials in New Jersey are investigating what they call suspicious brush fires in Burlington County.
An investigation is underway right now.
Chopper 3 was over the scene in Pemberton Township this morning.
Officials say five brush fires burned parts of Pemberton Township, scorching more than 80 acres.
New Jersey State Forest Fire Warden Bill Edwards says, "Five separate, unrelated fires. Any time you have a situation like that it's an indication of a man caused issue."
Using fire to fight fire on the ground, the New Jersey Forest Fire service lit back fires.
Sections along Route 70 were blackened as they tried starving the fire to prevent it spreading by doing a controlled burn of the dry underbrush.
Officials say conditions were not ripe for a naturally occurring event as the fires were reported around 4 Monday morning when there were cooler temperatures, some dampness on the ground and there was little wind.
The fires were in largely wooded areas of the Pine Barrens and no homes or structures were threatened, and there were no evacuations.
The largest of the brush fires is along Route 70. Officials say it burned more than 40 acres.
Arson investigators are working to determine if the fires were intentionally set.
