Pine Barrens Fire Burns 300 Acres In Burlington County

SHAMONG TOWNSHIP - A wildfire that destroyed 300 acres of the Pine Barrens in Wharton State forest was contained by Saturday night, according to nj.com.

The fire began about 9:45 a.m. on Saturday in the Bards Bridge area and was 50 percent contained by late afternoon, said Bob Considine, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection

Residents in the sparsely populated area 25 to 30 homes did not need to be evacuated, he said.

No structural or property damage was reported.

Considine said about 30 firefighters from the Forest Fire Service responded to the blaze, along with 10 brush trucks, two water tankers, two tractor and plow units and a helicopter.

Forest Fire Service staff will patrol the fire area overnight. The cause of the blaze has not yet been determined.

To read the entire story, click here.

Image: Patch file photo.