Crews from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the New Jersey State Police and a multitude of local and county fire departments have responded to a forest fire of Chatsworth Road in Tabernacle on Monday, April 9.
The fire was first reported at 12:07 a.m. on April 9, according to Michael Achey, assistant division forest-fire warden with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
Initial crews located the fire at 12:45 a.m., as 30 to 50 acres were affected at that time.
As of 10:30 a.m., 100 personnel were on the scene of the 600-acre blaze.
According to Achey, by the time the fire is extinguished, up to 1,000 acres could be affected.
“It is a fairly good-sized fire,” he said.
There is no word yet on what started the fire, and there have been no reported injuries, Achey said.
Achey said 25 five houses are threatened by the blaze, but no evacuations have yet been ordered.
This is the first large forest fire this year in Tabernacle, he said. On Friday, nearby Winslow Township experienced a similar fire.
“We’ll be here for days,” he said.
The area needs rain to help battle the flames, he said.
According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, a red-flag warning is in effect until 8 p.m.
“A combination of strong winds and low relative humidity will create explosive fire growth potential,” the National Weather Service said.
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