Smoke, Hazy Skies Seen In Point Pleasant Area

POINT PLEASANT, NJ — Residents in the Point Pleasant area woke up to the smell of something burning Tuesday as wind carried smoke from the Wharton State Forest fire across much of the southern half of New Jersey.

The Point Pleasant Community Emergency Response Team posted a notice on its Facebook page, acknowledging the smoke and noting its ties to the fire that has consumed more than 12,000 acres of forest since it started on Sunday.

"FYI-The smell of smoke and haze is from the forest fire," the CERT posting said.

The cause of the fire has not been determined other than authorities saying it was not from natural causes. Read more: NJ Forest Fire Burns 12K Acres, Prompts Highway Closures

The smoke has led to a "moderate" air quality report for the area, according to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection's air quality monitoring program.

Moderate means the air quality is acceptable but it could pose a health concern for a very few people, including those who are unusually sensitive to ozone or particle pollution may experience respiratory symptoms, according to AirNow.gov.