A wildfire that burned for several days near a New Jersey state park was deemed suspicious on Tuesday, and investigators are searching for its exact cause.
The fire in the Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, a federally protected 2,800-acre nature reserve, burned across 377 acres, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
The refuge is near the Fort Mott State Park in Pennsville Township, the site of a post-Civil War military base along the Delaware River. The blaze was one of three wildfires that spread while strong winds whirled across the region.
State fire officials said Tuesday the blaze was deemed suspicious. It’s being investigated by the state firefighters and Pennsville Township police, who said they are reviewing tips provided to them.
“Any suspicious activity near the fire scene is being followed up on, including reports of vehicles in the area of the fire at the time of the incident,“ Pennsville Township Police Lt. Bowen told NJ Advance Media Tuesday. ”It is unclear if the large fire near Fort Mott State Park is connected to any other fires. It is also unclear if the fire was deliberately set."
In Mercer County, far north of Fort Mott, a wildfire burning in Hopewell Township was caused by a downed power line, state officials said. Firefighters fully contained the blaze, which began burning off Poor Farm Road, as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, officials said.
The blaze threatened 30 residences and four commercial structures, but no evacuations were ordered. The fire reached 293 acres before being contained, officials said.
In Gloucester Township, about 100 firefighters and first responders from across worked together to contain a blaze that burned at the site of a former landfill. Gloucester Township Police Chief David Harkins did not immediately return a request for an update Tuesday on any investigation into the cause of the fire.
Police said the landfill, off Erial Road, was not compromised by the fire, and dozens of solar panels installed on the former dump were not damaged. At least two homeowners evacuated their properties but returned overnight Saturday.
Winds as high as 45 miles per hour helped the fires spread. Fire officials and the National Weather Service warned New Jerseyans against outdoor burning Sunday, with gusts of 25 mph in the forecast.
Most of New Jersey remains under elevated drought conditions, leaving the state’s wilderness and forests vulnerable to massive blazes, state fire officials said. Last month, state leaders, including Gov. Phil Murphy, announced an initiative to raise awareness of the increase in risk of wildfires.
Wildfires, New Jersey State Fire Chief William Donnelly said, are becoming increasingly common. State firefighters routinely conduct prescribed burns, which eliminate grassy areas capable of helping fires spread; this helps thwart large amounts of acres from catching ablaze.
“We’re three times ahead of the amount of fires we had last year, and the acreage is probably sometimes in the area of six times the amount of acreage we’ve burned this year so far,” Donnelly told reporters Monday.
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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.