A wind-blown forest fire in the southern New Jersey Pinelands that had threatened sixteen homes Tuesday, March 7th, 2023 was fully contained by nightfall.

There were no injuries or damage to property that occurred because of the fire, which burned 418 acres before being declared 100% contained.

Winds gusting between 30 and 40 mph fueled the flames. The fire was burning in a remote, uninhabited section of the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area in Little Egg Harbor Township, just west of Exit 58 of the Garden State Parkway in southern Ocean County.

No one had to be evacuated, even as fire trucks and water tankers were positioned near the homes that firefighters considered potentially vulnerable to the fire. State, county, and local investigators were looking into how it might have started, but no cause has been found.

The fire service has been doing controlled burns in the Pinelands in recent weeks to consume dead leaves, twigs, and other forest floor fuel that could accelerate a wildfire.