A wildfire in Gloucester County—just miles from Philadelphia—is raising concern for a South Jersey farm owner as a large plume of smoke spreads across the area. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the 50-acre blaze is burning near Red Bank Avenue and Hessian Avenue in West Deptford Township.
WEST DEPTFORD, N.J. – Just miles outside Philadelphia, a wildfire is burning across the Delaware River in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the 50-acre fire, which is currently 40% contained, is burning in the area of Red Bank Ave and Hessian Ave in West Deptford Township, near the area of a Sunoco oil refinery property.
Smoke plumes and fallen ash have been reported as far south and east as Glassboro, Washington Township, Franklin Township and beyond, according to Gloucester County Emergency Management.
Officials say the Forest Fire Service is in unified command with the West Deptford Fire Department as crews continue to battle the brush fire.
On top of engines and ground crews responding to the blaze, numerous resources have been deployed to fight the fire, including a Forest Fire Service plane capable of dropping 600 gallons and multiple fire boats from both sides of the Delaware River.
Burning near a populated residential area, voluntary evacuations are in place as the fire threatens 100 structures.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
This is a developing story.
