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Suspicious Pinelands fire mostly contained

A fire that threatened protected Pinelands and some homes in Burlington County is mostly contained, according to New Jersey officials.

A fire that threatened protected Pinelands and some homes in Burlington County is mostly contained, according to New Jersey officials.

State Department of Environmental Protection spokesman Larry Hajna said the fire that broke out Monday was 75-percent contained and mostly under control.

However, he said fire crews were still monitoring today's wind gusts, which were forecast to reach up to 30 mph.

Officials have called several fires that burned in South Jersey over the past week suspicious.

Yesterday's fire came just days after crews battled two other suspicious fires that scorched 400 acres in the Pinelands before being controlled.

About 1,000 acres burned in Tabernacle and Woodland townships in yesterday's fire.

A separate fire of about 300 acres burned at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst complex to the north. But that was mostly contained as of Monday night.

The unusually dry winter, coupled with recent high winds, has helped fan flames, fire officials have said.

Further, Hajna noted that significant gypsy moth damage in the area that had killed many trees also contributed.

Hajna said the moth-damaged trees have been dead for some time and easily ignite like, "fireplace logs." As the trees fall, they shoot embers that can cause more small fires, he said.