NJ Wildfire Caused By 'Illegal Campfire' Nearly Contained: Official

SOUTH JERSEY — The investigation continued Wednesday into the "illegal" campfire in Wharton State Forest that had spread to 13,500 acres and was 95 percent contained as of 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.

The fire has consumed 13,500 acres of the forest within Washington, Shamong, Hammonton and Mullica townships, authorities said.

The Atsion Recreation Area and Batsto Village reopened Wednesday, but hiking trails between those two locations remain closed due to active fire activity, according to authorities.

Kayaking and canoeing along the Mullica and Batsto rivers also remain closed between Atsion Recreation Area and Batsto Village. Pinelands Adventures has not resumed kayak and canoe trips and Wharton State Forest’s Mullica River Campground remains closed, authorities said.

In addition, "motorists traveling in the area should remain cautious of smoke, firefighters and fire vehicles that may be working on nearby roadways," the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.

Smoke from the fire has been reported in many New Jersey towns including Cherry Hill, Evesham, Berkeley, Barnegat and Manahawkin. Officials in those towns and many South Jersey communities are advising residents who are older and/or have lung conditions to take precautions.

That smoke will likely "linger and lay" in those areas until there is a significant change in the weather such as rain or heavy winds, Greg McLaughlin, Chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said Tuesday.

In addition, fire departments will remain at the scene of the wildfire for some time even after it is fully contained, McLaughlin also said.

"They will continue to be there for several days if not a week or until we get significant rainfall to cool this fire," he said. "There will still be a lot of smoke that's being produced from ... any unburned fuels that may ignite that are within the perimeter of that containment area."

The wildfire, which authorities are now calling the Mullica River Fire, is the largest in New Jersey state history, authorities said Tuesday.

An "illegal, unattended campfire" started it, according to authorities.

Officials have ruled out a natural cause such as lightning, McLaughlin said Tuesday.

"There are no there are no power lines, no transmission lines in the area within the origin of the fire," McLaughlin said. "In very close proximity to the origin of the fire, we did find an illegal unattended campfire."

"This was not at a designated campsite where [a campfire] would have been permitted," McLaughlin continued. "This was in a remote area of the forest that was essentially from what we can tell from the evidence that remains to just be a makeshift fire."

Anyone who has any information regarding the campfire that led to the Mullica River Fire is asked to call the New Jersey Forest Service at 609-726-9010.

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