A wildfire in New Jersey threatened to destroy 20 Burlington County homes Monday night as crews worked to extinguish the blaze.
The 40-acre blaze, dubbed the “Big Rusty Wildfire,” was broken into a new blaze near Bancroft Lane and Cove Court in Hainesport just before 6 p.m., according to the New Jersey State Forest Fire Department. During the struggle, it caught fire.
Ann ABC 6 Action News Chopper The edge of the fire was shown approaching a cul-de-sac, with flames directly behind the shrubs that lined the backyard of the home.
Forest firefighters were able to contain the large rust fire to 20% by 9pm, moving it away from 20 buildings and it was no longer a threat.
No homes were evacuated and there were no reports of injuries as smokers continued to work late into the night.
Several streets in the area were closed by nightfall to allow easy access for firefighters.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. The National Weather Service issued a warning Monday that the risk of wildfires spreading is increasing in several local counties.
Another fire broke out in Lakewood, Ocean County, on Monday, burning 33 acres in the area of Pine Park and Lakewood Country Club, according to the New Jersey State Forestry and Fire Marshal's Office. As of 7:30 p.m., it was 20% contained and no buildings were at risk.
Wildfires have scorched large swaths of the Garden State and neighboring Empire State over the past few weeks amid record dryness and strong winds.
Fire crews are still battling the Jennings Creek Wildfire, which crossed state lines from Passaic County, New Jersey, to Orange County, New York, after burning more than 5,300 acres of forest across both states in 10 days. . An 18-year-old park employee died while battling the flames.
The Jennings Creek Fire, the largest recent wildfire, was 88% contained as of Monday morning, according to the New York Department of Environmental Protection.
