March 31, 2019
Pixabay.com/via Pexels
Smoke alarms typically sound about 6-to-8 minutes before flame is visible. This is the time to enact your emergency response plan.
Firefighters are working to contain a forest fire that started in the South Jersey Pinelands on Saturday that grew to cover more than 8,000 acres overnight.
The flames started in Penn State Forest, which is protected under the Pine Barrens, in Burlington County near the Ocean County border. By Saturday night it was burning 5,000 acres and spread into thousands more overnight due to high wind gusts and the recent dry weather.
As of Sunday morning, officials confirmed the blaze was more than 50 percent contained.
Parts of Route 72, a major artery for travel to the Jersey Shore, remained closed Sunday morning. Asbury Park Press reported Sunday morning that smoke and ash could be seen as far north as Holmdel and Marlboro in Monmouth County, which is at least 40 miles from the fire.
#PineBarrens #Wildfire this is what my backyard in #TomsRiver looks like...@nj1015 @njdotcom @News12NJ pic.twitter.com/QNcs99Wj0N
— Liz Rios🇺🇸 (@LiRi347) March 31, 2019
Taken in Downtown TR from forest fire in New Jersey. So far over 5000 acres are gone. pic.twitter.com/H6uU5fuaa0 https://t.co/okdnIbHG8m
— Cape May Co. SKYWARN (@CapeMaySKYWARN) March 31, 2019
According to the National Weather Service, many areas of the state and even into New York will be able to see and smell smoke from the fire. But, the Sunday morning rain showers and consequent cold front should blow the smoke off shore.
The NWS had not issued an air quality warning for the region, as of Sunday afternoon.
A little science on the night shift (thread)! We've gotten many questions about the smoke across central and northern NJ tonight. This smoke is originating from the Spring Hill Forest Fire in Penn State Forest in Burlington County. #njwx pic.twitter.com/OW8GmTS1Ii
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) March 31, 2019
NJ.com reported that so far, no one has been injured in the fires and there is currently no mandatory evacuation.
An investigation as to what started the fires is ongoing.
