Latest news with #CaliforniaBranchWildfire
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
South Carolina Under State Of Emergency As Several Fires Trigger Evacuations In Carolinas, New Jersey
Mandatory evacuations remained in effect for parts of Polk County, North Carolina, on Monday, as firefighters prepared to set out for another day of battling three wildfires that began last week. The two larger of the fires were still 0% contained by Sunday afternoon. According to the Associated Press, one of the fires measured 1.9 square miles and another had burned 2.8 square miles. At least one home was consumed by one of these blazes. (MORE: How Fast Can A Wildfire Spread?) Another fire had burned about 199 acres and was 50% contained after destroying three homes. An evacuation order associated with this smaller fire had been lifted over the weekend. Additional fires were burning in North Carolina's Burke and Stokes counties, the North Carolina Forest Service reported. In South Carolina, the Table Rock Fire prompted Gov. Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency Saturday. It's the second time this month McMaster declared a state of emergency due to wildfires. By Sunday, the South Carolina Forestry Commission was referring to the incident as the Table Rock Complex Fire on social media, explaining it as a combination of two fires, the Table Rock Fire in Pickens County and the Persimmon Ridge Fire in Greenville County. The fires grew significantly on Sunday due to heavy winds and the inaccessibility of the steep, mountainous terrain, which made it difficult for firefighters. Downed trees from Hurricane Helene were also fueling the blaze, the AP reported. The Table Rock Fire has burned more than 2 square miles, but according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission, several hundred acres of that blaze were part of a burnout conducted by firefighters in an effort to remove fuel between evacuated areas and active wildfires. The effort to remove fuel ahead of the blazes was considered successful. (MORE: Fires Threaten More Homes Than Ever) Residents near Table Rock Mountain were under voluntary evacuations Saturday. The Persimmon Ridge Fire, which began Saturday, had grown to 1.25 square miles by late Sunday. Firefighters were conducting fire drops over the weekend and on Monday, at least six aircraft will be deployed for more water drops on the Table Rock Complex, according to the South Carolina Forestry Commission. To the north, in New Jersey, another wildfire broke out in the Wharton State Forest Saturday, consuming more than 3.5 square miles, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service posted on X. The fire, dubbed the California Branch Wildfire, forced the evacuation of two campgrounds within the park and several roads in the area were closed. The fire reached 80% containment by Sunday night, the New York Times reported, and the fire was moving away from 18 structures it had been threatening.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Wildfire burning off Raritan Avenue, Old Atsion Road in Wharton State Forest in Waterford
The state Forest Fire Service on Sunday morning reported making "significant" progress against a large wildfire burning in Waterford Township. The blaze. which forced the evacuation of two campgrounds, was 50% contained after spreading across 1,750 acres of Wharton State Forest, the agency said at approximately 8 a.m. It first reported the blaze, called the California Branch Wildfire, in the area of Raritan Avenue and Old Atsion Road on Saturday afternoon. Both roads were closed inside the forest, as was Goshen Bridge Road. The Atsion and Goshen Pond campgrounds were evacuated. Franklin fire:: Blaze in forest scorches 190 acres The agency said it was fighting the blaze with ground crews, fire engines and bulldozers. It reported no injuries or damage to private property. The fire's cause was under investigation. (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccurate headline.) Jim Walsh is a senior reporter with the Courier-Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. Email: Jwalsh@ This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: California Branch Wildfire burns in Wharton State Forest in Waterford
New York Times
23-03-2025
- Climate
- New York Times
Wildfire in New Jersey State Park Burns 1,000 Acres
Fire crews in New Jersey were working overnight to contain a wildfire that was reported in a state park on Saturday and quickly grew to 1,000 acres, officials said. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported the blaze, known as the California Branch Wildfire, in Wharton State Forest on Saturday afternoon. Two campgrounds were evacuated, and several roads in the area were closed. The forest is about 30 miles southeast of Philadelphia. As of 11 p.m., the wildfire had grown to 1,000 acres across Burlington and Camden counties, the state fire service said on social media. It was only 20 percent contained. But no injuries had been reported, and the agency said that the fire was moving away from 18 structures it had been threatening. The statewide risk of fire danger was only moderate, the second-lowest classification of a five-tier scale, according to the agency's website. New Jersey's wildfire season typically peaks between mid-March and mid-May. Officials worry that the state may be in for a rough one this year because it had an exceptionally dry fall and the third-driest January on record. As of March 13, the state forest fire service had already responded since early January to 381 wildfires that burned a total of 1,242 acres, according to data from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. That was a 266 percent increase over the same period in 2024.
CBS News
22-03-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
New Jersey Forest Fire Service working to contain wildfire in Wharton State Forest, Camden County
Fire crews are working to contain a wildfire that broke out in Wharton State Forest in Waterford, New Jersey, on Saturday, officials said. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is currently responding to the blaze, named the California Branch Wildfire, which has expanded to 100 acres and is 0% contained, the agency shared on social media. NJFSS officials said 18 structures near the wildfire are currently threatened, but fortunately, the blaze is moving away from the homes. There are also multiple road closures in effect within Wharton State Forest as rescue crews continue to battle the blaze including Raritan Avenue, Old Atsion Road and 5 Mile Crossing. The NJFFS said crews have begun a backfiring operation to help contain the fire. An observation helicopter is also on the scene. No local evacuations are in effect. The cause of the wildfire is also under investigation.
