forest fire

1,200 Acres Burn in South Jersey Forest Fire, Officials Say

A fire in Cumberland County is expected to be out by the end of Friday, officials say

NBCUniversal, Inc.

What to Know

  • Firefighters continue Friday to battle a forest fire that has consumed roughly 1,200 acres in South Jersey.
  • The fire in the Millville Wildlife Management Area broke out around 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Downe Township and quickly spread, aided in part by strong winds that helped fan the flames.
  • Crews were trying to contain the blaze early Friday by spreading an intentional fire line to cut off its fuel supply. 

A forest fire near Millville Airport in deep southern New Jersey burned through 1,200 acres of land by Friday morning, a fire official said.

The fire, which appeared to burn brush along several roads in Downe Township, Cumberland County, did not threaten any homes by 10 p.m. Thursday, a fire official said.

Crews on Friday were trying to contain the blaze by spreading an intentional fire line to cut off its fuel supply.

No injuries were reported.

The National Weather Service in Mt. Holly issued this statement about a continued fire risk:

"Low afternoon relative humidity levels, windy conditions, and dry fine fuels will create an elevated risk for the spread of wildfires across the area."

It is unclear how the fire started. Authorities expected the fire to burn out, but windy conditions were causing it to spread for several hours.

By Friday morning, the fire was 30% contained, forest fire services said. Despite the winds, officials still expect 100% containment by the end of Friday.

Contact Us