Nearly 30 homes and two commercial buildings were damaged in a New Jersey forest fire, which started on Sunday and spread rapidly through wind and drought, according to reports.
The fire started in Lakewood at around 1 pm and later moved to Brick, where 29 houses were damaged – three of them were uninhabitable, Asbury Park Press reported, citing Brick Mayor John Ducey.
The fire started relatively small, burning an area of less than a quarter of the football field when it was first reported, NJ.com reported.
But around 6:30 pm, the flames spread over about 162 acres, officials said.
The Garden State Parkway between exits 83 to 90 was temporarily closed on Sunday due to the fire.
“We have two helicopters and a single-engine air tank working on the fire,” Caryn Shinske, a spokesman for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, told Asbury Park Press.
“The fire has crossed the Garden State Parkway and is threatening residential and shopping center areas,” off Route 70, said Shinske.
At least one firefighter was injured during the fire fighting, reports say.
Climatic conditions in New Jersey have been conducive to the spread of forest fires, with strong winds and low humidity.