189-Acre Wildfire Fully Contained In Berkeley: Officials

BERKELEY, NJ — The 189-acre fire burning in Berkeley Township is fully contained as of Wednesday afternoon, officials said.

The cause of the fire was ruled accidental, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

The fire, dubbed the Fishers Pit Wildfire due to its location on the border of Berkeley and Beachwood, is 100 percent contained as of Wednesday afternoon, New Jersey Forest Fire Service officials said.

Containment does not mean that the fire has been fully extinguished, and it will likely continue to burn until significant rainfall douses it. Smoke may be visible for an extended period, officials said.

"Forest Fire Service staff will remain on scene and continue to monitor control lines and address areas of concern until significant precipitation occurs to ensure public safety," officials said.

A multi-department investigation determined that the fire's cause was accidental and started from someone improperly extinguishing a campfire, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

The blaze was first spotted from Cedar Bridge Fire Tower at 4:44 p.m. on Sept. 9, officials said. Initial attack efforts were unsuccessful due to the fire's "erratic fire behavior," officials said.

Fishers Pit, the former New Jersey Pulverizing Tract, is a 782-acre sand and gravel quarry that is part of the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust. As part of Ocean County's open space rules, fires are not permitted at the location.