March 24, 2025
Adam Monacelli/Imagn Images
The 2,300-acre wildfire that broke out Saturday in Wharton State Forest in Camden and Burlington counties is now 100% contained, New Jersey Forest Fire Services says.
The forest fire that broke out in Wharton State Forest on Saturday is now 100% contained, the New Jersey Forest Fire Services said Monday morning.
The fire, known as the California Branch Wildfire, has engulfed 2,336 acres near Raritan Avenue and Old Atsion Road in Waterford Township, Camden County, having spread across the Mullica River into Shamong Township, Burlington County.
The fire's cause is still under investigation and no injuries have been reported.
The Goshen Pond and Atsion Family campgrounds were evacuated, but no structures are threatened by the fire. On Sunday night, the Forest Fire Services said 18 structures were in close proximity to the fire and under threat, but the flames moved away from those homes. As of Sunday night, Raritan Avenue, Old Atsion Road, Goshen Bridge Road and the 5 Mile Crossing area were closed within the park.
"Forest Fire Service crews will remain on scene for the next several days to continue to improve containment lines and address areas of concern until significant precipitation occurs to ensure public safety," the Forest Fire Service said. "Smoke is expected to remain present until significant rain falls.
"Visitors to the area should exercise caution, as trees within the fire area may be weakened."
Spring is peak wildfire season in New Jersey, and forest fire officials are particularly concerned due to persistent dry conditions — the state has been under a drought warning since November. Earlier this month, the Department of Environmental Protection urged residents to conserve water to prevent wildfires. January was the third driest January on record, and although precipitation picked up in February, it wasn't enough to restore groundwater and reservoirs.
To prevent wildfires, the Forest Fire Service typically targets 25,000 acres for prescribed burns each year. But the ongoing dryness meant that only 1,707 acres of grasslands and six acres of forest have been treated so far this year, a historic low.
Wharton State Forest, located within the Pinelands National Reserve, is New Jersey's largest state park. Its 122,880 acres of forest, lakes and rivers stretch across Atlantic, Burlington and Camden counties.
