Wildfire in New Jersey's Wharton State Forest 100% contained after burning over 2,300 acres
Two campgrounds were evacuated and over 2,300 acres were burned after a fire broke out Saturday at Wharton State Forest in Waterford, New Jersey. The fire was 100% contained by Monday morning, according to the New Jersey State Forest Fire Service.
On Sunday evening, the fire known as the California Branch Wildfire, was 80% 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 have been lifted:
- Raritan Avenue
- Old Atsion Road
- 5 Mile Crossing
- Goshen Pond
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 were moving in the opposite direction while the fire was still active.
"It's a little scary because it could jump, it could get close," he said Sunday. "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 on March 22 near Raritan Avenue, but the wildfire likely sparked sometime before dawn Saturday.
Fueled by the winds and dry conditions, Donnelly said this was 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 cause of the wildfire is still under investigation.
