Ocean County, NJ, wildfire nearly contained, smell changes direction

BERKELEY TOWNSHIP — Firefighters are making progress on a wildfire that started Monday as the smell lingers in parts of Ocean County.

The Fishers Pit Wildfire in the area of Northern Boulevard in Berkeley Township was 70% contained after burning through 189 acres as of late Tuesday night, according to the NJ Forest Fire Service. Firefighters made "good progress" on Tuesday putting out hotspots along the fire’s perimeter and strengthening containment lines.

No roads are closed and no structures are threatened. The smell of the fire will also affect a different area on Wednesday.

Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said a shift in wind direction from northwest to southeast will change the area smelling the fire's smoke. Residents in the Beachwood area said Wednesday morning the smell was lingering but was not as strong.

"The wind is very light, so it's not a fire spread problem. But the smoke and smell will carry over inland Ocean County (including part of the Parkway corridor) rather than toward the bay," Zarrow said.

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Busy year for wildfires

It has a been a busy year for wildfires in New Jersey this year with well over 200 fires large and small.

The largest wildfire was the Tea Time Hill Wildfire that burned through 4,300 acres of Wharton State Forest in Burlington County in four days during the July 4th holiday.

Nearly two months after the fire was contained it continued to burn interior unburned pockets within the fire area, according to the Forest Fire Service. It also burned down into the duff layer of soil. Combined with humidity at the end of August it caused additional smoke that remained until a heavy rain.

Officials said that fireworks set off on the night of July 4 sparked the massive blaze. But it was dry conditions brought on by heatwaves that allowed it to spread into the largest wildfire of 2024, according to Assistant State Fire Warden Shawn Judy.