Smoke hit Philly region
Heavy smoke from the West Deptford fire was visible across the Philadelphia region and emergency managers warned people with breathing or health concerns to be cautious. (nbcphiladelphia.com) (inquirer.com)
A brush fire in West Deptford, New Jersey, sent a thick smoke plume across the Philadelphia region on Saturday, April 11, and ash fell in parts of South Jersey. (nbcphiladelphia.com) The fire was reported around 11 a.m. near Sunoco refinery property in West Deptford Township, and by about 6 p.m. officials said it was 100% contained after burning roughly 160 acres. No injuries were reported. (nbcphiladelphia.com) (cbsnews.com) Gloucester County Emergency Management said smoke and ash spread as far south as Glassboro and Washington Township, while television stations in Philadelphia reported the plume was visible from Interstate 95 and in South Philadelphia. (6abc.com) (nbcphiladelphia.com) Emergency managers told people with asthma, heart disease, or other breathing and health concerns to stay alert to changing conditions as smoke drifted through the region. The federal AirNow fire and smoke map tracks fine-particle pollution, known as particulate matter 2.5, which is small enough to get deep into the lungs. (airnow.gov) (gloucestercountynj.gov) The fire grew on a day when the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly warned of an elevated risk of rapid fire spread across the region because of dry air, low humidity, and gusty wind behind a cold front. (weather.gov) That setup helps explain why a fire on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River could affect people miles away in Pennsylvania. Smoke can travel farther than flames, and shifting wind can push it across county and state lines even after firefighters stop the fire’s growth. (weather.gov) (6abc.com) The response drew ground crews and aircraft from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, including a plane used for water drops, and crews stayed on scene to reinforce containment lines and watch for hotspots. Officials said smoke could linger until steady rain arrived. (cbsnews.com) (6abc.com) By Saturday night, the flames were contained, but the smoke had already turned a local brush fire into a regional air-quality problem stretching from Gloucester County into Philadelphia. (fox29.com)
