Ocean County, NJ wildfire fully contained, smell changes direction

🔥 The wildfire in Berkeley Township has burned nearly 200 acres

🔥 No structures have been threatened by the fire

🔥 A shift in wind direction will change the area smelling the fire

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

The Fishers Pit Wildfire in the area of Northern Boulevard in Berkeley Township was declared 100% contained after burning through 189 acres, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS). Firefighters continued to work on hotspots along the fire’s perimeter and strengthening containment lines on Wednesday.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said an investigation by his office and several other agencies, including the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, have determined the fire was started accidentally by an improperly extinguished campfire.

No roads are closed and no structures are threatened.

The smell of the fire affected a different area on Wednesday.

New Jersey 101.5 Chief 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 been a busy year for wildfires in New Jersey this year.

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 Fourth holiday.

Nearly two months after the fire was contained it continued to burn interior unburned pockets within the fire area, according to the NJFFS. 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 heavy rain.

Officials said that fireworks set off on the night of July Fourth 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.

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