Wildfire now contained

A wildfire in West Deptford Township was fully contained by 6 p.m. Saturday after burning about 160 acres in Gloucester County. (6abc.com) The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said crews responded around 11 a.m. near Red Bank Avenue and Hessian Avenue, close to the former Eagle Point Refinery property. By 2 p.m., the fire had reached 160 acres and was 70% contained. (6abc.com) Fox 29 reported firefighters stopped the spread in about six hours. At the fire’s peak, officials said roughly 100 buildings were threatened. (fox29.com) Voluntary evacuations were put in place earlier in the day, then lifted after containment reached 100%. Red Bank Avenue, which had been closed from Hessian Avenue to the Delaware River, later reopened. (6abc.com) The fire sent heavy smoke over South Jersey and into Philadelphia. Gloucester County Emergency Management said smoke plumes and falling ash were reported as far as Glassboro and Washington Township, and NBC10 said the smoke was visible from Interstate 95 and near Citizens Bank Park. (nbcphiladelphia.com) New Jersey is in its peak spring wildfire season, which the state Department of Environmental Protection says typically runs from mid-March through mid-May. The department says the state averages about 1,100 wildfires a year that burn roughly 5,000 acres. (dep.nj.gov 1) (dep.nj.gov 2) State fire officials said crews would stay in West Deptford for several hours to reinforce containment lines and work on hotspots. Light smoke may remain until the area gets significant rainfall. (newjersey.news12.com) No injuries were reported, no structures were lost, and the cause is still under investigation. By Saturday evening, the emergency phase had ended, but the burn scar and lingering smoke were still part of the cleanup. (nbcphiladelphia.com)