Dozens of firefighters across New Jersey battled three wildfires Saturday night in separate parts of the state, as weekend gusts helped spread the flames.
The fires ― in Gloucester Township, Hopewell Township and Pennsville ― erupted while gusts as high as 45 mph were recorded on Saturday. All of the fires remained under investigation on Sunday.
Parts of central and southern New Jersey were at an increased risk of wildfires as the windy conditions were expected to continue Sunday.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said it was investigating reports of two additional fires in Jackson Township in Ocean County and Winslow Township in Camden County on Sunday. No other information about the investigations was available.
In Gloucester Township, about 100 firefighters and first responders from 20 agencies battled the blaze that emerged near a former landfill, local police said.
The landfill, which collected waste between 1969 and 1980, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was unaffected by the fire, as were solar panels on the property, Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins told NJ Advance Media in an email.
Occupants of two homes evacuated temporarily but returned to their properties by Sunday morning, Gloucester Township police said. Erial Road was closed for about four hours while firefighters fought the blaze, which is believed to have reached 40 acres. Parts of Hickstown Road were also closed intermittently to help firefighters access the woods, police said.
First responders gather at the scene of a wildfire burning near Erial Road in Gloucester Township on Saturday, March 1, 2025.Gloucester Township Police Department, provided
North of Gloucester Township, a 288-acre fire threatened 30 residences and four commercial structures in Hopewell Township, Mercer County, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. That blaze was considered 80% contained Sunday morning, state fire officials said.
The fire response prompted officials to close Poor Farm and Woosamonsa roads to through traffic. It was unknown if those roads reopened Sunday morning.
On Sunday at 8 p.m., the Hopewell fire was 90% contained, the forest service said.
Farther in South Jersey, a wildfire in Pennsville was considered mostly contained but burned through 50 acres of land near Fort Mott State Park, state fire officials said. Twelve structures were considered threatened by the flames but were no longer endangered after firefighters made “significant progress” against the blaze Saturday night, officials said.
If you noticed the high reflectivity on local radars: Yes, a large wildfire is burning in the vicinity (looks like just east) of Fort Mott State Park. It *appears* to be in the dry vegetation of the marshes along the Delaware Bay. pic.twitter.com/xBRYeLlL5s
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) March 1, 2025
No structures were evacuated, and roads were not closed because of the blaze, officials said.
The park, situated along the Delaware River’s shores in Pennsville Township, is home to a former military base built in the 1890s, according to the New Jersey Park Service. The fire appeared to be in dry marshlands along the river, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters on Sunday cautioned New Jerseyans from outdoor burning while high winds were expected to continue whipping across the region. Forecasters projected gusts of up to 20 mph on top of winds at 10 to 15 mph.
The conditions, the weather service said, could support fire growth, making flames hard to control.
All of New Jersey is experiencing elevated drought levels, the worst conditions being in the state’s southernmost region. Conditions have slowly improved but remain high.
Stories by Eric Conklin
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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.