NJ wildfire season takes off with ‘suspicious’ blaze among 230 fires so far

🔥 A fallen powerline sparked the Hopewell wildfire

🔥 The Forest Fire Service is joining the investigation of the Pennsville wildfire

🔥 There have already been 230 wildfires in NJ this year

NOTE: The story has been updated to show the correct number of wildfires so far in 2025 and the acres burned.

With the last of Saturday's wildfire contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said the Pennsville fire is considered suspicious.

Gusty winds on Saturday fueled fires in Pennsville, Gloucester Township and Hopewell in Mercer County.

The Poor Farm Wildfire was declared to be 100% contained Tuesday morning after burning 293 acres. At one point, 34 residential and business structures were threatened by the fire.

Forest Fire Service Fire Chief William Donnelly said that the Hopewell fire started with an electric line that fell on a grassy embankment, which fueled its rapid spread.

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Dispelling rumors about fires

Donnelly said the Pennsville fire is considered suspicious. The Forest Fire Service has joined Pennsville police and the Department of Community Affairs Division of Fire Safety to determine a cause of the fire.

"We got some intel that we're following up on, and once we figure out if it is in fact true, I'm sure everybody will be brought up to date as to what actually occurred down there," Donnelly said.

Mapping of the fire by air on Monday confirmed its size at 377 acres.

Pennsville police Lt. Nick Bowen dispelled internet rumors about the Pennsville fire.

He said it is not related to the other fires and denied that a resident had blocked firefighters from a property.

"It was more of the property owner not wanting large fire equipment causing damage to his/her yard," Bowen said in an email.

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Another busy wildfire season

The Forest Fire Service is casting a wary eye on the spring wildfire season, partially because of a lack of snow and rain during the winter months.

New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow says that New Jersey's drought conditions have improved somewhat but that more rain is needed.

"We still desperately need rain. I would love to see a persistently wet spring, to stave off potential water restrictions, crop struggles, dead lawns, and extreme fire danger this summer," Zarrow said.

The wildfire season is already off to a fast start in New Jersey.

"We're way above the acreage we had this time last year. Last year, due to wildfires, we had burned roughly 21 acres," Donnelly said. "This year, we're up over 514 acres of forest burned. But if things continue the way they are, we're going to have quite a fire season on our hands if things hold out the way they've been."

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