Big Fire Near The Boot Camp

[Teegate]

Newest update

WILDFIRE UPDATE: Mines Spung Wildfire - Wharton State Forest - Shamong Twp, Burlington County

Forest Fire Service crews continue mopping up hot spots and patrolling the fire perimeter. An observation flight will be conducted over the fire area when weather conditions permit.

SIZE & CONTAINMENT
5,750 acres
80% contained

ROAD CLOSURES
⚠️ Local forest road closures
⚠️ Tuckerton Rd closed from Carranza Rd. to Washington Turnpike
⚠️ Carranza Rd from Forked Neck Rd to Tuckerton Rd.
⚠️ Bulldozer Rd closed
⚠️ Hampton Rd closed

TRAIL CLOSURES
The Batona Trail is closed between Carranza Rd and Quaker Bridge Rd.

STRUCTURES THREATENED & EVACUATIONS
Lower Forge Campground evacuated
⚠️ 5 structures threatened

RESOURCES DEPLOYED
Forest Fire Service fire engines, bulldozers and ground crews.

FIRE CAUSE
Under investigation

NEXT UPDATE
⏰ Approximately 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 17

NO DRONES IN FIRE ZONES

 

[Teegate]

I was going to go there today but the roads are still officially closed and I know that at least one person was told to leave already. The nighthawk eggs I found are out there and I wanted to get there every few days to be there right after or when they hatched. I suspect it is past that point already.

The next FFS update is in an hour or so.

 

[Teegate]

WILDFIRE UPDATE: Mines Spung Wildfire - Wharton State Forest - Shamong Twp, Burlington County

Forest Fire Service crews continue mopping up hot spots and patrolling the fire perimeter.

SIZE & CONTAINMENT
6,000 acres
90% contained

ROAD CLOSURES
⚠️ Local forest road closures
⚠️ Tuckerton Rd closed from Carranza Rd. to Washington Turnpike
⚠️ Carranza Rd from Forked Neck Rd to Tuckerton Rd.
⚠️ Bulldozer Rd closed
⚠️ Hampton Rd closed

TRAIL CLOSURES
The Batona Trail is closed between Carranza Rd and Quaker Bridge Rd.

STRUCTURES THREATENED & EVACUATIONS
Lower Forge Campground evacuated
⚠️ 5 structures threatened

RESOURCES DEPLOYED
Forest Fire Service fire engines, bulldozers and ground crews.

FIRE CAUSE
Under investigation

NEXT UPDATE
⏰ Approximately 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18

NO DRONES IN FIRE ZONES

 

[MuckSavage]

I found it funny that the traffic guy on Channel 29 this morning said Hampton Road is closed due to that big fire so you're gonna want to seek an alternate route.

 

[Teegate]

The final update: all road closures lifted.

WILDFIRE UPDATE: Mines Spung Wildfire - Wharton State Forest - Shamong Twp, Burlington County

At 1 p.m. on Wednesday, June 18, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service achieved 90% containment of an approximately 6,400-acre wildfire burning in Wharton State Forest, Shamong Twp, Burlington County.

The fire was initially spotted by a private aircraft flying in the area in the early morning hours of Friday, June 13.

Forest Fire Service crews will remain on scene for the next several days to continue to improve containment lines and address areas of concern until significant precipitation occurs to ensure public safety. Smoke is expected to remain present until significant rain falls over the fire area.

This will be the final update for this incident unless significant developments occur.

SIZE & CONTAINMENT
6,400 acres
90% contained

ROAD CLOSURES
✅ All road closures have been lifted

TRAIL CLOSURES
The Batona Trail is closed between Carranza Rd and Quaker Bridge Rd.
The Batsto River is closed from Hampton Rd to Quaker Bridge Rd

STRUCTURES THREATENED
⚠️ 5 structures threatened

RESOURCES DEPLOYED
Forest Fire Service fire engines, bulldozers and ground crews.

FIRE CAUSE
Under investigation

NEXT UPDATE
⏰ Final update unless significant developments occur.

NO DRONES IN FIRE ZONES

 

[Jim]

That is 6,400 prime pinelands acres which are now tick free! For a little while, at least.

The NJ FFS put up some photos on their book of faces and extreme data harvesting website post with the last update. Lots of intense flame photos there, the sort any pyromaniac would enjoy. Better than nothing, I guess. However, the pics all look to be from one area. That, or a lot more of the vegetation cover west of Tuckerton RD and well north of the Bulldozed Rd is pitch pine lowland. It has been almost 25 years since I drove Hampton Rd, so maybe there is a lot of lowland pitch out there.

I am most familiar (as in over the last year) with the Batona-Tuckerton-Bulldozed triangle, and the area further south of Bulldozed RD on Tuckerton, and south from Lower Forge. That area is mostly an upland of shortleaf and pitch-oak. I look forward to inspecting there and any other posted photos.

Say, I expect it is coincidence given that the Tea totaler Hill fire was kids playing with fire works, but does anyone else find it sort of interesting that in the last 11 months we have had 3 large or major fires along the old NJ Central line? Like the spirit of the old steam engine is sparking away from beyond the scrap yard.

 

[enormiss]

I found it funny that the traffic guy on Channel 29 this morning said Hampton Road is closed due to that big fire so you're gonna want to seek an alternate route.

Traffic reporter on the radio listed them all, think it was Monday. I was cracking up

 

[RJG]

I hiked through the area of the fire on Monday. Lots of smoke still billowing up from the ground, so I only explored about three miles of the fire because the smoke was making it a little difficult to breathe. I ran into a fireman on a dirt road who was on his way to see if his deer stand survived the fire. He said they still hadn’t determined what caused the fire, but they suspect it was an ember from a camp fire.

I

 

[Jim]

I hiked through the area of the fire on Monday. Lots of smoke still billowing up from the ground, so I only explored about three miles of the fire because the smoke was making it a little difficult to breathe. I ran into a fireman on a dirt road who was on his way to see if his deer stand survived the fire. He said they still hadn’t determined what caused the fire, but they suspect it was an ember from a camp fire.
I

You were on the Batona Trail at times or dirt roads only?

I assume it was from a bon-fire. As far as I know, you aren't allowed to have camp fires outside of the official state campgrounds and on state land, and usually backpackers and especially car campers adhere to this. They blamed a camp fire for the Mullica River Fire in 17 or 22. I think that started not too far from US 206, and in an area not very likely to host campers, but likely to have city people out there having a kegger bonfire.

 

[RJG]

You were on the Batona Trail at times or dirt roads only?

I assume it was from a bon-fire. As far as I know, you aren't allowed to have camp fires outside of the official state campgrounds and on state land, and usually backpackers and especially car campers adhere to this. They blamed a camp fire for the Mullica River Fire in 17 or 22. I think that started not too far from US 206, and in an area not very likely to host campers, but likely to have city people out there having a kegger bonfire.

There was a sign up saying the Batona Trail near Carranza was closed, so I accessed the area about a mile west of there on dirt roads that were not closed.

 

[dragoncjo]

Think Senecas graduation was the night before and lots of kids party on caranza. Wondering if that was the cause.