Delaware Water Gap Wildfire 95 Percent Contained

WARREN COUNTY, NJ - The wildfire that destroyed dozens of acres of property in Worthington State Forest and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area is now 95 percent contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said Tuesday morning.

Chris Franek, assistant division forest firewarden, said Monday the fire was still within the borders of Worthington State Forest and had not extended into lands owned by the National Park Service's Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Franek also said the firefighting efforts are not expected to wind down anytime soon.

"We'll likely be here through the end of the week," Franek said in a report on the Pocono Record. "We're hoping for rain."

There is rain in the forecast, according to the National Weather Service, but it won't arrive until Tuesday night. The total area burned is approximately 80 acres in total: 78 acres in Worthington State Forest and 2 acres in Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, officials posted to social media.

Forest Fire Service crews will remain on scene Tuesday to continue mop-up and improve firebreaks, officials said.

Trail closures continue to be in effect on the Mt. Tammany Red Dot Trail and the Pahaquarry Trail.

Incident Commander Eric Weber told WFMZ that they used a helicopter to fight the fire until night fell Sunday, then Weber said crews made the mile trek to begin battling the fire on the ground.

"It's pretty steep and rugged," Weber said in the report. "It's probably the steepest terrain in the entire state of New Jersey."

Volunteer firefighters were filling up backpack tanks of water and carrying them to the top of the 1,526-foot Mount Tammany, Kathleen Sandt, a spokesperson for the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area told the New Jersey Herald.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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