Fire crews have successfully contained a wildfire that scorched more than 2,300 acres across two counties in Wharton State Forest, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service announced Monday morning.
The 2,336-acre blaze, which ignited Saturday afternoon, was fully contained by 8 a.m. Monday following an intense weekend of firefighting in rugged terrain near Raritan Avenue and Old Atsion Road. The wildfire was first detected at 12:57 p.m. by an observer in the Blue Anchor Fire Tower and quickly triangulated with assistance from the Medford Fire Tower, allowing crews to pinpoint its location and deploy resources swiftly, officials said.
By Saturday evening, flames had spread beyond the Mullica River, reaching Shamong Township in Burlington County. As a precaution, authorities ordered the evacuation of both the Atsion and Goshen Pond campgrounds, and warned that smoke from the blaze could affect portions of Ocean County.
Fire crews will remain on-site in the coming days to reinforce containment lines and monitor for hotspots, officials said. While the immediate danger has passed, smoke may continue to linger in the area until substantial rainfall helps extinguish any remaining embers. Fortunately, widespread rain is falling Monday.
All roads previously closed due to the wildfire have now reopened, though visitors are urged to exercise caution in the forest. Officials warn that trees weakened by the fire could still pose a hazard in the burn area.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.