Another NJ Wildfire Threatens Residences, Spans 100+ Acres

BURLINGTON COUNTY - As state fire officials battle a nearly 6,000-acre wildfire at Bass River State Forest, another wildfire has emerged in South Jersey, this time threatening 40 residential structures and closing one road as of Saturday afternoon.

Dubbed the Flatiron Wildfire, the blaze in the area of Elderberry Drive and Jackson Road in Medford tore through 180 acres and was 60 percent contained as of Saturday afternoon, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said in a statement. The fire was first reported around 1:50 a.m. on Saturday.

Structure protection to the 40 threatened residential structures is being provided by local fire companies, state forest fire officials said.

Medford-Jackson Road is closed until further notice.

Firefighters are still battling the massive Bass River State Forest - which spread to 5,950 acres and was nearly 100 percent contained as of Saturday morning - in southern Ocean County and Burlington County, state forest fire officials said. Around 40 individuals were evacuated from a camping area threatened by the fire, according NJ.com.

The Garden State Parkway was also closed in both directions between exits 38 and 63 due to “reduced visibility caused by heavy smoke from the Bass River State Forest wildfire and dense fog,” parkway authorities said Friday morning. The parkway reopened around 10 a.m. Friday.

Allen Road and Oswego Road are still closed in the area, as well as the Batona Trail.