Wildfire breaks out in 2 NJ counties; over 100 structures threatened

White smoke could be seen rising into the dry air as a wildfire burned in Burlington and Camden counties in New Jersey Thursday.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service first reported the blaze -- later dubbed as the Bethany Run Wildfire -- in the area of Kettle Run Road and Sycamore Avenue in Marlton around 10 a.m. on Nov. 7, 2024.

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"The New Jersey Forest Fire Service remains on scene of a wildfire burning on the boarder of Burlington and Camden counties in Evesham and Voorhees townships," the forest fire service said in an early Thursday afternoon update.

The 300 acre blaze was 50% contained as of 7:45 p.m. Thursday and is threatening at least 104 structures in Evesham and Voorhees townships, the forest fire service said, while warning people to avoid the area. Fire trucks could be seen near houses.

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Sycamore Avenue and Kettle Run Road from Braddock Mill Road to Hopewell road were closed, authorities said. Access to the Sturbridge Lakes Development was blocked.

All evacuation orders were lifted as of 6:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Part of the firefighting effort included fire engines, bulldozers, ground crews and "a helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water at a time," the fire service said.

"Forest Fire Service crews are constructing firelines and working to stop the fire's forward progress by strategically utilizing a backfiring operation to eliminate fuels ahead of the main body of fire," the agency said in a social media post.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Dry conditions fueling wildfires in New Jersey

Dry conditions have helped spark many wildfires in New Jersey in recent weeks. Lack of significant rainfall since August contributed to the dry conditions, which prompted the state to impose strict restrictions on outdoor fires.

"Tomorrow we’re anticipating some really wicked fire weather. There’s been a red flag posted for the entire state of New Jersey,” Bill Donnelly, the state forest fire warden and chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said.

All current wildfires have containment lines around them.

Over 8,000 acres burned so far this year. October was the busiest month on record for the forest fire service, Donnelly said.

The state has not seen significant rain in over a month, and that trend was expected to continue for at least the next few days.

“This is the driest we've been in the agency's history,” said Jeremy Webber, a supervising fire warden with the Fire Service, which was established in 1906.

This latest fire came as crews continue to battle a blaze in Jackson Township, NJ.

“It seems like it’s been nonstop,” Donnelly said.

Since January, there have been at least 1,189 fires over 7,900 acres, Webber said at a Thursday morning news conference. Just this month, at least 102 fires have broken out statewide.

Webber said forest fire crews are busy and stretched to suppress the blazes.

Not even some promised rain Sunday night into Monday was expected to make much of a difference, Webber said.

“We're going to need inches of rain, not just one or two,” he said.