WILDFIRE RAGES OUT OF CONTROL AS 1000 ACRES BURN
" More Than 100 Homes Are Threatened Prompting Voluntary Evacuations."
May 17,2021 By: Englebrook Independent News
Firefighters in New Jersey were battling a wildfire Monday that had burned more than 1,000 acres in less than a day.
The fire was spotted at about 4 00 pm on Sunday, in a forested are on the New Jersey shore that has limited accessibility, according to a statement from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
By nightfall, the fire had spread to parts of Bass River State Forest in Burlington County, and included Little Egg Harbor Township in Ocean County which had burnt 70 acres, the fire service reported. Route 9 was closed due to smoke, but was reopened Monday officials reported.
The Ocean County Sheriff's Office said Monday morning that the fired had erupted to include 1000 acres burnt.
By Monday afternoon, the wildfire was burning 617 acres as firefighters used controlled fires in order to gain control of the blaze. There were at least 16 fire agencies that responded with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, first reported by NBC News.
The controlled fires in Bass River State Forest and on private land were keeping space between the main fire and structures in the fires path, according to a Monday statement from fire service officials. The number of threatened structures decreased from 100 to 30 between Sunday and Monday afternoon.
The fire had yet to damage any structures, and there were no injuries reported, according to the fire service. Still, smoke is to be visible for days.
FILED UNDER MAY 17, 2021 FIRE SOUTH JERSEY: