Wildfire In Delaware Water Gap Park Likely Human-Caused: NJ Officials

NEW JERSEY — A wildfire burning in New Jersey's Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and Worthington State Forest is not expected to spread past 30 acres, according to the New Jersey Forest Service.

The fire, which has officially been named the "Old Mine Wildfire," is burning in the area of Old Mine Road and could be visible from Interstate 80 in Warren County, officials said. The fire was 75 percent contained as of Wednesday morning.

"The fire originated on National Park Service property and is believed to be human caused," said Forest Fire Service officials on Tuesday afternoon.

Officials said two firefighters were treated for heat-related injuries during the initial attack on Tuesday. They were treated at the scene and released.

Old Mine Road is still closed as crews worked to contain the fire's progression, according to officials.

"Forest Fire Service ground crews are making good progress on containing the fire and are working to improve containment lines and address hot spots along the fire perimeter," officials said Wednesday at 11 a.m. "The fire is not expected to grow larger."

Officials noted that while Forest Fire Service Crews conducted a prescribed burn earlier Tuesday on state property around a mile away from the Old Mine Fire's origin, the operation "neither caused nor impacted the Old Mine Wildfire in Worthington State Forest," as the wind direction from the burn was in the opposite direction.

"The prescribed burn was immediately ceased to allow Forest Fire Service resources to respond rapidly to the nearby Old Mine Wildfire," officials added.

A final update on the Old Mine Wildfire is expected at around 8 p.m., according to officials. Fire danger in North Jersey is low today, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.