Wildfire scorched wooded area of Hamilton Township, New Jersey, before being placed under control

Heavy flames scorched a wooded area in Hamilton Township, New Jersey, on Tuesday and threatened a half dozen homes.

Firefighters battled the wildfire in Hamilton Township for hours, and much of the state remains in an elevated fire risk due to severe dry conditions. 

The fire happened in the area of McCall Avenue and Jackson Road, New Jersey Forest Fire Service Chief Bill Donnelly said. About 30 firefighters from Hamilton Township, the Weymouth Volunteer Fire Company and NJFFS were on the scene when the fire was at its worst.

The flames were in an area surrounded by homes that sit on roughly 2-3 acre lots. The structures were not damaged and no one was injured, he said.

"The fire was right in the middle of all those homes there," Donnelly said.

It was a rude awakening for Van Pearson. Flames were already spreading when he woke up around 3 a.m. He said a wall of fire was moving through the woods on both sides of his home.

"I'm like, 'Wow.' I looked on this side fire and the other side fire, and I'm right in the middle, and like 'What do we do?'" Pearson said.

Pearson has lived on McCall Avenue near Jackson Road in Hamilton Township since 1967.

"It hopped the fence, and that's when I got scared," Pearson said.

Pearson panicked as the flames inched closer. About 30 firefighters were already on scene, but he said his wife just underwent back surgery and is currently immobile.

"They ran out here, they were just tearing stuff up man, I was scared, but they did well," Pearson said.

Six acres near Pearson's home were scorched, but luckily, no one was injured.

"We got to pray for some rain, get a rain dance going on or something to get some rain and help everything out," Pearson said.

The area where the fire broke out is under severe drought conditions, which can dry out vegetation and provide fuel for a blaze.

Combine that with a breeze around 10 mph and low humidity, and conditions are ripe for any fire that does break out to spread quickly.

The National Weather Service also warned of elevated fire danger due to the conditions Tuesday. Everyone is advised to avoid outdoor burning and pay extra attention to extinguishing potential sparks for a fire like cigarette butts. Lawn equipment can also cause sparks if it comes into contact with the dry ground.

This drought has also threatened crop yields around the Garden State.