Forest Fire Burns 1,000 Acres In Burlington County, New Jersey
By Robin Rieger and Molly Daly
TABERNACLE, NJ (CBS) --Fire crews stayed busy Monday night, heading into areas of the Pinelands in Tabernacle that flared up again, as they work to fully contain the wildfire labeled suspicious that burned about 1,000 acres Monday.
Setting backfires has helped with containment says fire warden Russell Fenton.
"Its black all they way out to our control (line), we just want to make sure the winds don't pick up and blow any hot embers across our lines," said Fenton.
No evacuations were necessary for about 30 nearby homes.
"We're going to continue to patrol behind the homes to make homeowners feel safe," said Fenton.
Falling trees, that could spread the fire or cause injuries are a big concern overnight as crews also battle limited visibility in the darkness.
Despite an early afternoon Red Flag Warning, the wind has died down which is a big help to crews.
The fire's origin in a remote area of the Pinelands, the overnight start, coupled with the fact that there was no lightning or electrical source nearby, prompted officials to declare it 'suspicious.'
An investigation into the cause is ongoing.
Another forest fire is also ongoing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Burlington County.
There were no reports of mandatory evacuations, structural damage or injuries.
For more information on wildfires and fire safety, visit www.njwildfire.org
