Wildfire Grows To 1,167 Acres In Warren Grove

WARREN GROVE, NJ — The wildfire burning at the Warren Grove Air to Ground Range has grown to 1,167 acres and is 80 percent contained as of Wednesday morning, New Jersey Forest Fire Service officials said.

In the final update for the "Whip-poor-will Wildfire," officials said that no structures were threatened.

"Overnight, the fire area received approximately 0.5 inches of rain, aiding in containment efforts," officials said. "Today, crews remain on scene and will improve containment lines, while monitoring and addressing any hotspots along the fire perimeter."

Earlier in the day Tuesday, military training was underway at the range, according to Little Egg Harbor police. But no cause of fire has been released.

The range, deep in the Pinelands, is used by military planes for practice bombing and strafing.

It's also where one of the largest wildfires in New Jersey history occurred. In May 2007, more than 17,000 acres burned, four homes were destroyed and more than a dozen others damaged when a flare deployed by an exercise at the range ignited the Pinelands and spread quickly due to dry weather and high winds, according to the Department of Environmental Protection.

The Forest Fire Service worked with the New Jersey Air National Guard on the scene of the fire.