New Jersey firefighters are working to contain multiple fast-moving wildfires that have forced evacuations and threaten more than 100 structures across several counties.
The fires, fueled by historically dry conditions, have affected parts of Evesham, Voorhees and Jackson Township, according to New Jersey Forest Fire Service officials.
The most significant of the fires, dubbed the Bethany Run wildfire, ignited Thursday morning along the Camden County/Burlington County line near Evesham and has since spread to 200 acres. By early Thursday afternoon, it had destroyed less than half a square mile and remained uncontained, threatening at least 104 structures.
Another fire, the Shotgun fire in Jackson Township, started a day earlier and had reached 300 acres by Thursday.
How Are the Two Fires Being Handled?
About 12 homes near the Bethany Run Wildfire were evacuated, with residents from other areas warned to be prepared.
Jeremy Webber, a supervising fire warden with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, described the flames as "high and fast-moving," intensified by gusts of wind that made containment efforts challenging.
Although 75 percent contained, the Shotgun fire has posed significant risks, with flames reaching heights of 6 to 8 feet when firefighters arrived. At least six homes in Jackson Township were evacuated.
Fire crews are deploying helicopters, capable of dropping 350 gallons of water, as well as bulldozers, engines and backfiring techniques to contain the blaze.
Backfiring, a method that strategically burns vegetation ahead of the fire's path, aims to reduce available fuel and slow the flames' advance. The Forest Fire Service has set up fire lines to keep the flames from spreading further toward residential areas.
Worst Forest Fire in New Jersey History
Greg McLaughlin, an administrator with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, reported that the Jackson Township fire was "40 percent contained" as of late Thursday. Residents have since been allowed to return to their homes.
For residents of nearby Evesham and Voorhees, however, officials warned that "the situation remains unpredictable" as firefighters work around the clock.
Dry conditions have driven an increase in New Jersey's wildfire incidents, with more than 400 fires reported in October alone, a record, according to McLaughlin.
"This is the driest we've been in the agency's history," Webber said.
The agency was founded in 1906, making these conditions the worst the service has seen in more than a century.
'Dry Weather With No Relief in Sight'
Bill Donnelly, chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, warned in a social media post that "when conditions become this dry, the simplest things can start a wildfire."
The fires are exacerbated by high amounts of leaf litter and pine needles on the forest floor, which provide fuel for the flames.
"In my 30-year career with the Forest Fire Service, I can't recall a time when we faced such a prolonged period of dry weather with no relief in sight," Donnelly said.
Hoping to stem the frequency of wildfires, New Jersey imposed strict restrictions on outdoor fires.
"We're going to need inches of rain, not just one or two," Webber said.
Though a forecasted cold front may bring some rain over the weekend, New Jersey remains at high risk.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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