Crews worked Halloween night into Friday morning to get control of a massive wildfire burning in southern New Jersey, according to officials.
The fire, dubbed the "Halloween Wildfire," started burning near Railroad Avenue in Downe Township, Cumberland County on Thursday, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.
The Halloween Wildfire was 100 acres in size and 0% contained as of 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. By 10 a.m. on Nov. 1, 2024, the fire had spread to 110 acres, while crews had it contained at 20% as they used fire engines, bulldozers and ground crews to battling the flames.
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The fire is expected to get to around 140 acres before being fully contained, the forest fire service said.
No structures were under threat and there hadn't been any evacuations.
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Railroad Avenue remained closed Friday between Dividing Creek and Ackley roads.
Officials said members of the Forest Fire Service were using a backfire to burn fuel ahead of the main body of the fire as they worked to further contain it.
As of daybreak on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, flames continued to burn.
The cause of the Halloween Wildfire was under investigation.
According to New Jersey's Forest Fire Service, last year from Sept. 15 to November 1, 27 fires burned about 7 acres statewide. During the same time frame this year, 385 fires have burned around 795 acres.
“It’s just been crazy. Nonstop," said Bill Donnelly, New Jersey's state fire warden. "We’re just slowly starting to wear our folks out.”
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