5,000 Acres Burning In South Jersey Forest Fire, Officials Say

TUCKERTON, NJ — A "major" forest fire has expanded to 5,000 acres at Bass River State Forest in southern New Jersey, state forest fire officials.

Dubbed the Allen Road Wildfire, the blaze was first reported at around 6:20 p.m. on Wednesday, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. As of early Thursday evening, the fire was 50 percent contained.

"A backfiring operation to help contain the fire continued today to assist in achieving containment goals," state forest fire officials said in an update at around 5:15 p.m.

Air quality alerts have been issued in much of the state, as smoke from the fire is creating air pollution concentrations which may become unhealthy for sensitive groups such as children and the elderly; and/or people suffering from heart disease, asthma, or other conditions.

The Timberline Campground remains closed, and no residential structures are threatened as of the Thursday evening update.

Several roads have been closed as a result of the fire, including Allen Road and Oswego Road. Stage Road is closed between North Maple Avenue and Route 679, and Route 679 is closed between Route 563 and Leaktown Road.

The Batona Trail is also closed in Bass River State Forest.

This isn't the first time a major wildfire has been reported in the area this year. In April, a forest fire burned over 1,600 acres of the Bass River State Forest, the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area and the Warren Grove Bombing Range. Read more: 1,600-Acre Forest Fire Fully Contained In Southern Ocean

Patch's Michelle Rotuno-Johnson contributed to this report.