Wharton State Forest on Fire

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
375
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
The fire was reported just after four o'clock Monday Morning, along Moores Meadow Road and South Park Road in Tabernacle.
Fire officials tell Action News that the fire has already charred 500 acres, and is now entering neighboring Woodland Township.
Wind gusts spread the fire, and the gusts are expected to increase later Monday.
New Jersey state strike teams have ordered brush trucks and dozers to the scene to help fight the fires. Air support is also being increased.
Fire is now threatening two dozen homes
Assistant state Fire Warden Steve Maurer says planes and helicopters are flying over the scene to assess the fire and begin dropping water.
As many as 1,000 acres could be affected. Maurer says firefighters lit a backfire to get the blaze away from about 25 homes, but said the homes still could be affected.

http://maps.njpinebarrens.com/#lat=39.83859542426053&lng=-74.61502075195312&z=14&type=p&gpx=
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8613435
 

dragoncjo

Piney
Aug 12, 2005
1,524
237
42
camden county
Without lightning how do these fires start. Three fires this quickly makes you wonder if they are intentional, especially considering all the media attention.
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
375
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com

piker56

Explorer
Jan 13, 2006
640
53
67
Winslow
My boss just told us there was a fire. He lives out that way, near tabernacle. Low humidity and very dry conditions, we really need a good soaking rain
 

PINEY MIKE

Explorer
Jan 30, 2009
707
25
Bamber Lake
Without lightning how do these fires start. Three fires this quickly makes you wonder if they are intentional, especially considering all the media attention.

Cigs...
F smoking-baby1.jpg
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
375
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
So far no mandatory evacuation have been ordered. Sooy Place Road, near Route 563, and a portion of South Park Road are closed, officials said.
The locations of the threatened homes were not immediately available; however, firefighters and equipment were seen staging around houses off Sooy Road in Woodland.
"It's right in our backyard," Woodland resident Brian Samu said. "Right now we're on standby, They're doing controlled burns but they're telling us the winds are not in our favor."
He said his family has lived in the home for about 11 years and never had a forest fire burn this close.
Sooy Place Road resident Mary Entwistle said several of her neighbors have begun evacuating horses and other livestock, but she said she wasn't worried about her own property.
"They bulldozed a huge fire line in the back of my property and they have fire trucks lining the highway in case someone's house catches fire. I have absolutely no fear," Entwistle said.
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,338
326
Near Mt. Misery
I talked to the township. It looks like the wind in blowing east and the fire is mostly contained. So I seem to be in pretty good shape. I hope the folks on sooy place are going to be okay. It is unsettling to have a fire of this size less than a 1/2 mile away.
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
375
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
bilde

So I'm guessing this is at the triangle section formed by sooy and south park, the woods back there is thick as anything.
The fire area is bounded by Route 532 west of Chatsworth; Sooy Place Road to the north; South Park Road to the west; and Big Swamp Road to the east. Sooy Place Road is closed Sooy Place Road is closed to traffic but Route 72 is open under a pall of smoke blowing miles east on the wind.Also Investigators have found evidence the South Park fire was intentionally set overnight, state acting Fire Warden Mike Drake said.
 

Gibby

Piney
Apr 4, 2011
1,640
442
Trenton
I was working in Chesterfield today and could see the smoke from the fire billowing into the sky. It was intense that it could be seen from that far away and carry over most of the horizon we had in view. Why would anyone start a fire?! I find it disturbing.
 

dogg57

Piney
Jan 22, 2007
2,912
375
Southern NJ
southjerseyphotos.com
Division Fire Warden Greg McLaughlin describes it as "definitely suspicious in nature." McLaughlin says officials continue to investigate and should know the cause within a day or two.
Firefighters have contained about 75 percent of the 1,000-acre fire, with full containment expected later Tuesday.
McLaughlin says things have settled down at the blaze, which broke out early Monday in Tabernacle and Woodland. The wildfire was fueled by dry conditions and high winds.
There's no report of injuries or property damage.
 
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