Pinelands wild fire continues to spread in Burlington County, NJ
Fire officials have ordered everyone to leave the Batona Campground in Wharton State Forest in Burlington County, NJ
UPADTED TO ADD TWO VIDEO REPORTS AT 8:30 PM
By Frank Kummer, Philadelphia Inquirer
Updated July 5, 2024, 4:02 p.m.
A wildfire that broke out Friday morning in a heavily used Pinelands recreation area has grown to 450 acres, forcing closure of a campground and popular part of the Batona Trail.
The fire service announced the closure about 11:30 a.m. By late afternoon, none of the fire had been contained.
Officials ordered everyone to leave the Batona Campground in Wharton State Forest. The campground is in Tabernacle, Burlington County.
The fire impacted the area around Apple Pie Hill, where a fire tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding Pine Barrens and is a popular hiking route.
Officials have closed part of the 53-mile long Batona Trail between Route 532 and Carranza Road. They also closed the Tulpehocken Trail from Apple Pie Hill to Hawkins Bridge.
The blaze has been dubbed the Tea Time Hill Wildfire, named after a feature on the hiking route from the Carranza Memorial in Tabernacle to Apple Pie Hill. Batona Campground is a staging area for many undertaking the hike.
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