fox29.com
71%
350
Officials: Wildfire that burned nearly 4,000 thousands acres of land in Ocean County fully contained
MANCHESTER, N.J. - The 200-foot wall of flames, the burning embers landing miles away and the carloads of evacuees fleeing to shelter at a high school — it all took place in New Jersey but could happen in almost every part of the country this week due to dry conditions and strong winds that have raised the danger of forest fires.As firefighters worked Wednesday to contain a fire that tore through 6 square miles (15 square kilometers) of New Jersey's Pine Barrens, the National Weather Service issued so-called "red flag warnings" on Wednesday for 20 states spanning the nation. The agency cautioned that dry, windy conditions similar to those in New Jersey were increasing the danger of forest fires elsewhere, too.The blaze in Manchester, near Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, forced the evacuation of around 170 homes late Tuesday, with police and fire officials going door-to-door to ask people to take temporary shelter at a nearby high school.