Train Company Must Pay For Wildfire Response In Camden County

WINSLOW TOWNSHIP, NJ — A rail company with a train that sparked a cluster of wildfires in Camden County must reimburse the state for its response to the incidents.

A passing train sparked a cluster of wildfires in Camden County, officials said.

More than 20 wildfires broke out Monday within a 10-mile stretch in Winslow Township — from the area of Berlin-Cross Keys Road to Ancora Psychiatric Hospital. The fires were "all mostly contained" by the early evening, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

No buildings or homes were threatened, and no road closures were necessary, officials said.

• Related article: Multiple Wildfires Burn In Camden County Town

A passing train sparked the fires, officials said. Conrail, which operates the train, must reimburse the Forest Fire Service for the cost of responding to the blazes, according to a spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the Forest Fire Service.

The company, which transports goods, will conduct an internal review to determine what caused its train to spark, said NJDEP spokesperson Larry Hajna.

"No further Forest Fire Service involvement is anticipated at this time," Hajna told Patch on Tuesday.

Conrail didn't immediately return comment to Patch.

When the blazes broke out, the Forest Fire Service responded with ground crews, an observation helicopter and a Single Engine Air Tanker that can drop up to 600 gallons of water at once. Several local fire departments, including Winslow Township's, also reported to the scene.

Some surrounding towns could see and smell the heavy smoke on Monday.

Spring is typically the state's peak wildfire season — especially in April — because of trees and underbrush still leafing out, relatively low humidity, and the frequency of windy conditions, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, which oversees the Forest Fire Service.