Buckabear Wildfire burning in West Milford Township, New Jersey
A wildfire is burning in Passaic County, New Jersey. Fire officials say the Buckabear Wildfire has spread to 160 acres in West Milford Township and is currently 40% contained.
Crews built containment lines and started backfires overnight.
Chopper 2 flew overhead early Wednesday morning, where smoke could be seen over a densely wooded area.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service says no homes or structures are threatened by the fire, but Clinton Road is closed between Goldfinch Lane and Van Orden Road. No evacuations have been required.
Winds cooperating with firefighting efforts
A helicopter was seen Wednesday scooping water from the Clinton Reservoir to help fight the blaze.
The Forest Fire Service's Tyler Niedergall said winds have been working in firefighters' favor.
"Thankfully, right here, we have the reservoir that still has water so they can dip real close and bring water right to the fire," Niedergall said.
Officials say the fire started Tuesday at the Newark Watershed.
"In between Buckabear Pond and Clinton Road, there is a hill that goes down to the water's edge. The back side of this, the fire started down there and burned up the hill," Niedergall said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
N.J. wildfires so far this summer
The state's Forest Fire Service has battled several wildfires this year, including one in the Wharton State Forest in June, another in Hackettstown in May and the massive Jones Road Wildfire back in April.
The Jones Road fire burned for weeks and forced thousands of residents and businesses in Ocean County to evacuate. A 17- and 19-year-old were charged with starting the blaze after not putting out a bonfire, prosecutors said.
At the time, authorities said the state had seen 662 wildfires and 16,572 acres burned so far this year, compared to 310 fires and 315 acres burned during the same period last year. Officials warned the drought conditions were "deeply serious," especially in the southern half of the state.
Wednesday's fire danger level was listed as "moderate" for northern, central and southern parts of the state.