West Milford, NJ – The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is battling a wildfire in West Milford Township off Route 23 and Echo Lake Road. The fire has rapidly spread and now covers 648 acres of land, with only 25% of it contained.
As the fire grows, structures are being threatened, and evacuations have been put in place to ensure the safety of residents.
So far, one structure has been evacuated, while nine residential structures and one commercial structure are threatened. Local volunteer fire departments are providing structure protection.
To keep people away from the fire and out of danger, Echo Lake Road is closed between Rt. 23 and Macopin Road, and Macapin Road is closed at Hylander.
Forest Fire Service crews are doing everything they can to contain the wildfire. They are using a backfiring operation to try to stop the fire from spreading further. Earlier this evening, air support from a Forest Fire Service Single Engine Air Tanker (SEAT) and Huey Helicopter provided water drops to help the firefighting effort.
The Forest Fire Service will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. tomorrow morning to provide an update on the situation. The details on the location will be released in the morning.
The Forest Fire Service wants to remind everyone that drones are not allowed in fire zones. Flying drones can interfere with the efforts of firefighting crews, so they remind others to avoid using them in the area.