The New Jersey Forest Fire service says it’s finally gotten a handle on the Mullica River Fire that started burning in Wharton State Forest Sunday. On Tuesday, 75 firefighters are battling this blaze, trying to extinguish what appears to be the state’s largest forest fire in 15 years.
Officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection initially thought the fire could have been started by lightning. But Greg McLaughlin, chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said, “We were able to rule that out. In very close proximity to the origin of the fire, we did find an illegal, unattended campfire. That’s the cause that we’re investigating now.”
Firefighters will need a few more days to fully contain the fire, according to the DEP. Smoke is expected to linger for the next week, so people with breathing problems near Wharton Forest are advised to be careful.
