Burned area near Quaker Bridge Road

[Boyd]

Took the day off today and decided to pay a brief visit to a part of the recently burned area. I went about 2 miles down Quaker Bridge Road when I picked up the yellow trail and walked along the river to the area near the campsite. Unlike the big Ocean County fire, this wasn't a scene of vast devastation but a scattering of burned pockets. I'm guessing there's a bigger burned area on the other side of the river.

It was about 90 degrees but a nice breeze kept it from getting too unbearable. The flies were pretty aggresive though. On my way home I drove into some light rain and watched the temperature drop to 76 degrees. Here are a few photos, will be interested to see what you find if you visit the area closer to the center of the fire.

This trail marker didn't fare so well....

 

[Teegate]

Thanks for the photo's They said that maybe the fire started from a hiker, and as we can see the trail goes right through there.

I will check the other side out this weekend.


Guy

 

[Boyd]

According to the map which King posted, the origin is on the other side of the Mullica pretty far Southeast from where these pictures were taken:

http://forums.njpinebarrens.com/showpost.php?p=38131&postcount=76

My impression was that Quaker bridge road was where they contained the fire as it spread. The only burned area I saw was between the road and the river, although I only went about 2.5 miles from Rt 206.

 

[Teegate]

That is a remote area where it started, even though there are roads leading to it. There are no state hiking trail there. That is the Great Swamp even though there are many high ground area's.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

Using King's map it started here.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.71...pn=0.011918,0.024891&t=k&z=16&iwloc=addr&om=1

Guy

 

[Teegate]

You can see what it looks like in that area in these photo’s. Plenty of fuel for a fire. This is a very short distance from the origin of the fire. Burlington #63.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/burl63.JPG

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/teegate/IMG_8628.JPG


Guy

 

[woodjin]

Thanks for those pics Boyd, I am eager to get to the Great Swamp to check it out. I can only imagine how much the fire has uncovered. It is hard for me to get away right now though. Somehow I will have to make time.

Jeff

 

[BEHR655]

Nice pix Boyd.

 

[piker56]

Thanks for the pictures, Boyd. I had off on Tuesday and drove out to Atsion, but there was still a lot of fire service activity and I didn't want to get in the way so I went elsewhere. Also, the flies were unbelievable! I hope to check again on Sunday.

 

[james ungehajer]

Bravo on the photos Boyd.

 

[Boyd]

Thanks everyone! Will be interested to hear your reports when you visit.

 

[watchingtrainsgoby]

Very nice Boyd, thanks for the pictures. These are the first aftermath pictures that I have seen so far. Its so eerie. I was down there not long ago... not even a month ago and now its like a different world. Its amazing, even with the scortched earth and trees the area is still beautiful.

 

[Teegate]

All,

Jessica and I wanted to explore the heart of the fire, and not knowing where the best place to start I decided on going to the below link. Having been there many times before I knew it was hard to get to in a car at certain times of the year, but today is was semi easy.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=39.72...pn=0.047663,0.099564&t=k&z=14&iwloc=addr&om=1


From there we headed into the woods and followed the mostly completely dry savannahs looking for some interesting sights. Our first view was here.

All of these savannahs are loaded with cranberries, and when burnt they look like this.

The low area’s in the savannahs are the only places out there that have water in them.

And this low area as you can see from the cracks in the dirt at the bottom, just acquired the water from the recent rain.

Already the vegetation is growing back.

Some of the cranberries that did not burn.

It was cooking here!

Sphagnum moss dried out and semi burnt.

I will post my route later. Have to go out.

Guy

 

[mike242424]

my outing south of Quaker Bridge Road

Just passed the entrance to the Atsion Recreational park on the left is where i poked around to check out the fire aftermath.
Check my pics out

http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showfull.php?photo=5777
http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showfull.php?photo=5776
http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showfull.php?photo=5775
http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showfull.php?photo=5774
http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showfull.php?photo=5773
http://gallery.njpinebarrens.com/showfull.php?photo=5772

 

[watchingtrainsgoby]

Wow. Great pictures Guy. Nice shots Mike.

 

[Boyd]

Great report and photos Guy (as always)! And those are some nice photos Mike as well.

 

[Teegate]

Nice photo's Mike. Thanks for sharing them.

Guy

 

[Teegate]

I will post my route later.

Guy

Here are my tracks from today.

http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/misc/track.jpg


Guy

 

[bobpbx]

Here are my tracks from today.

http://teegate.njpinebarrens.com/misc/track.jpg


Guy

I like that area. Pretty big hike you guys did today!

I got lost this morning in a swamp. I had to pull out my GPS. I was looking on the ground for an orchid and was not paying attention. I stood up and I did not recognize where I was or where the pine tree margin was.

 

[Teegate]

It is much easier to walk there with no water and the fire. It is a semi clean area and you don't run into people. Just like I like it.

I've been lost before I bet you were home before dark

Guy