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NJ is currently battling wildfires in Evesham, Jackson and Wharton State Forest

Harry November 8, 2024

Several significant wildfires have broken out in New Jersey since October in the midst of ongoing droughtIt threatens buildings, causes evacuations and causes road closures.

This trend continues into November, with three more exciting events happening this week: A Thursday in Evesham, Burlington County; one Wednesday near a shooting range in Jackson Township, Ocean County; and one Wednesday at Wharton State Forest in Camden County.

The fire Thursday morning, which the fire department has dubbed the Bethany Run Wildfire, ignited 75 acres on the border of Evesham Township in Burlington County and Voorhees Township in Camden County. The fire broke out in the wooded area of Kettle Run Road in Evesham County, near the popular Black Run Preserve and a residential community. Nearly 100 buildings are under threat and 10 buildings have been evacuated. None of the fire was under control as of noon Thursday, and a helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water was called to the scene. Sycamore Boulevard and Kettle Run Road from Braddock Mill Road to Hopewell Road are also closed. Smoke from the fire was visible from Philadelphia.
Wednesday’s fire is called the “Shotgun Fire” by the fire department because it started near the shooting range. The fire was initially 175 acres, but has spread to 300 acres in the Pinelands near the Colliers Mills Wildlife Management Area in the Stump Tavern Road area of Jackson Township. As of Thursday morning, 40% had been contained. Six buildings had been threatened and evacuated before people were allowed to return on Wednesday night. However, Stump Tavern Road remains closed from Route 571 to Route 528. Firefighters remain at the scene, which is under investigation.
And on Tuesday morning, a 45-acre wildfire broke out near Tremont Boulevard and Burnt Mill Road in Waterford Township within the Wharton State Forest. The smoke passed over Atco, Berlin and Waterford, causing concern among residents. This fire was brought under control in a short time.

It was an intense downturn for firefighters at a time when large fires were generally rare. A large wildfire is a fire that reaches 100 acres or more.

In October alone, the Forest Fire Service responded to 507 incidents statewide. This was the driest October on record in the state, causing a high degree of fire danger. Conditions continued, with the state experiencing severe drought and parts of South Jersey experiencing extreme drought.

“When conditions get this dry, even the simplest things can start a wildfire,” said Bill Donnelly, state wildfire warden and chief of the Forest Fire Service. “In my 30-year career with the Forest Fire Service, I cannot recall a time when we have experienced such prolonged periods of dry weather with no relief in sight.”

October has seen its share of major wildfires, including the one that kicked off Halloween in Downe Township, Cumberland County in the Bayshore region. The fire, dubbed the Halloween Fire, broke out on Railroad Ave. It burned 137 acres near the area and was 90% contained by Sunday. Teams fought the fire for days.

The drought continues and little real relief is expected next week, except for the chance of showers on Sunday night.

In fact, the latest map released Thursday by the U.S. Drought Monitor shows parts of Ocean, Burlington, Atlantic and Cumberland counties entering a period of extreme drought. The map was prepared by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s National Drought Mitigation Center, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

On Thursday, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said it would hold a hearing Tuesday on “unprecedented dry conditions statewide and rapidly deteriorating water supply indicators, including severely depleted groundwater levels and stream flow.” After a hearing with state water supply officials, the department will decide whether to declare a water supply drought warning, which would lead to the state requesting water cuts from water suppliers. state drought declared He followed up in October and asked residents to voluntarily reduce water use.