Firefighters from multiple departments battled a fast-moving brush fire along Riverview Drive in Perth Amboy on Saturday afternoon, according to the Perth Amboy Fire Department.
The fire was reported at 12:19 p.m. and quickly escalated to a second alarm as high winds from the nearby bay fueled its spread. Responding units encountered a large area of wildland burning and worked for over an hour to contain the blaze.
Perth Amboy units were supported by crews from Sayreville and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, who remained on scene into the afternoon to extinguish remaining hot spots. Fire officials deployed thermal imaging drones from the Perth Amboy Police Department’s Air 1 unit to assist with aerial surveillance and fire command operations.
PAFD units involved included Engines 1, 3, and 4; Trucks 2 and 3; Rescue 1; and Chiefs 1 and 5. Sayreville’s Engine 3 and Brush 5 responded to the scene, along with NJ Forest Fire Service Brush 26 and A-7.
Mutual aid and drone support aid in fire response
Hopelawn and Woodbridge fire companies provided station coverage for the city while Perth Amboy units were committed to the incident. No injuries were reported and officials have not announced the cause of the fire.
Authorities said crews would remain at the site through the evening to ensure the fire was fully extinguished and to monitor for flare-ups.
As of Saturday evening, fire officials had not issued any evacuation orders or reported structural damage.