Update: Wildfire Along Delaware Water Gap 80 Percent Contained

WARREN COUNTY, NJ - Firefighters on both sides of the Delaware River continue to battle a wildfire on the border of Worthington State Forest and the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area and as of Monday officials say the blaze is 80 percent contained.

Chris Franek, assistant division forest firewarden, said this morning 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.

As of Monday afternoon, the Rock Face fire on Mt. Tammany was approximately 80 percent contained, officials said. 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.

The National Park Service outlined the situation on Mount Tammany:

• The fire remains active and is being responded to by the NJ Forest Service and National Park Service.
• Over 70 acres has been consumed so far. The land affected is in Worthington State Forest.
• The cause of the fire is under investigation, but it did not begin as a controlled or prescribed burn.
• The fire service expects to keep the fire contained to the west of the talus slope, which is the area of large boulders located next to trailhead entrance. They are aware that there are homes and businesses to the east and will have spotters posted on the ridge who would be able to give advance notice if the fire were to spread in that direction.
• Helicopters will continue dropping water onto the mountain today. Retardant could be used if needed, but it is not expected at this time.
• Route 80 is open and moving normally at this time
• The area is closed to the public until further notice.
• The National Park Service and NJ Forest Service will provide another update later this afternoon. Knowlton Fire and Rescue and Knowlton OEM will continue to monitor the situation throughout the day and use Nixle to post critical information to residents.

Most of the fires visible in the photos are back fires intentionally started by the forest fire crews to contain the fire and remove its ability to grow, officials said.

The blaze has caused trail closures on the Mt. Tammany Red Dot Trail and the Pahaquarry Trail, officials said. The Dunnfield Creek parking lot, which provides access to the Appalachian Trail, is also closed.

Incident Commander Eric Weber told WFMZ that they used a helicopter to fight the fire until night fell, 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 New Jersey Department of Transportation had a smoke advisory for drivers on Route 80 that was temporarily lifted lifted just before midnight Sunday but reinstated just before 7 a.m.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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