Multiple wildfires are burning in the southern half of the state. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is on the scene of the Bethany Run Wildfire burning on the border of Burlington and Camden counties in Evesham and Voorhees townships.
“It’s been a very busy five, six weeks now,” said Deale Carey, section warden for the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
With the fire not yet contained, authorities say roughly 200 acres have burned. Twelve structures have been evacuated out of a total 104 threatened. Multiple road closures are in effect in the area and crews are on the ground, warning the public to keep away from the area.
In Ocean County, the Shotgun Wildfire in Jackson Township has grown to 300 acres, with 40% percent contained at this time. The causes of the fires are still under investigation.
Above-normal temperatures combined with a lack of rain have fueled the risk of wildfires in New Jersey this season. The drought has worsened in the state with extreme drought now in parts of five counties.
In fall, said Carey, “we get a lot of leaf litter and the needles that are falling down on top of the fire. So we don’t want the fire to ignite, and we call it a re-burn. … we don’t want that to happen.”
