By Frederick Sutton Sinclair, Ryan Hughes
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New Jersey (KYW) — A wildfire is burning in the area of the Emilio Carranza Memorial in the Wharton State Forest in Shamong Township, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service and Department of Environmental Protection said.
As of 2:15 p.m., Saturday, the wildfire had grown to 5,000 acres and was 60% contained, NJFFS said.
“The fire has got some serious burning going on right now and with that, we’re having a hard time to control it,” said NJFFS Chief Bill Donnelly during a press conference Friday night.
The smoke was having impacts on air quality around Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware on Friday night and into Saturday morning.
Donnelly said Friday night that roughly 150 firefighters are fighting the wildfire, which has been named the Mines Spung Wildfire. Additionally, 25 fire trucks/brush trucks, 25 fire engines from local departments are assisting with the firefight, the NJFFS chief said.
The fire was first reported by a private aircraft flying over the area around 5 a.m. Friday. Officials said the dry, sandy soil has fueled the flames.
“The main challenge is we’re in a very remote area, Wharton State Forest, so limited access,” NJFFS assistant firewarden David Achey said. “No cellphone service communications have been a little bit of an issue, but we’re working on straightening that kind of stuff out. So, just the remoteness of the location and the fuels we’re dealing with. This is the heart of the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, so very violate fuels.”
Local forest roads, as well as Tuckerton Road from Carranza Road to Washington Turnpike, Carranza Road from Forked Neck Road to Tuckerton Road, Bulldozer and Hampton roads, are closed as firefighters continue to battle the wildfire. The Batona Trail is also closed between Carranza and Quaker Bridge roads.
The Lower Forge Campground and Phillip M. Costello Preparatory Academy were evacuated on Friday as a precaution, according to the NJFFS. Donnelly previously said around 23 students were evacuated from the school, but officials anticipate they’ll be allowed back in as soon as possible.
Five homes near the fire were told to shelter in place, Donnelly said. No injuries have been reported at this time.
However, Brittney Poulysyn, who lives down the street on Carranza Road, said she’s been keeping tabs on the fire.
“I saw smoke down this way, down Forked Neck Road, I saw smoke,” she said while pointing down the road. “I keep track of it on the PulsePoint app, and we have the local Facebook group pages.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Jessica MacAulay and Nate Sylves contributed to this report.
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Wildfire burning in Wharton State Forest, New Jersey Forest Fire Service says News Channel 3-12.
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