1st Responder Broadcast Network is the definitive source of local news for the Emergency Service Community portal and Resource for Firefighting, Fire, Rescue, EMS and Safety.

OCEAN COUNTY, NJ - Late in the afternoon on Tuesday May 15, 2007 a fire erupted in the woods on the Warren Grove Gunnery Range in Ocean County. The New Jersey State Forest Fire Service was dispatched to the scene, followed by the Station 48, Warren Grove Fire Department. After making an attempt at controlling the wildfire, it became apparent that the fire was expanding too quickly to contain and the threat of the fire jumping Route 539 became a reality. The Forest Fire Service declared the fire to be a Major Fire (at least 100 acres). Weather conditions were ripe for a quickly spreading fire, as winds were from the Southwest gusting from 20-30 mph. Most of the Forest Fire Towers had that Tuesday classified as a Class 5 Day, meaning critical fire weather conditions existed, with explosive fire growth potential.

A request was made to the Ocean County Sheriffs Departments 911 Center requesting
the County Fire Coordinator to respond to start acquiring structural protection resources.

The Fire Coordinator was in the area and immediately put into play the Ocean County Forest Fire Action Plan, which delivered 20 engines and 5 water tenders. This equipment was to respond to the Warren Grove firehouse to be split into strike teams and task forces for structural protection in the town of Warren Grove.

Immediately following the initial request, a request for the Ocean County Fire Marshals Office M.A.C. Unit was made for staging and accountability purposes. This unit was requested to set up at the end of Recovery Road in Stafford Township which was nearly 7 miles away from the initial fire. This was to become the primary staging area for incoming resources from within the plan and ultimately resources from several additional counties. The Mac Unit is responsible for setting up Strike Teams and Task Forces to have them ready for immediate deployment for structural protection. Upon establishing a primary staging area, notification was made to the County Office of Emergency Management to advise them of the expanding incident. A second request from the Forest Fire Action Plan brought in the balance of resources within the plan from Ocean County consisting of an additional 39 engines and 8 water tenders. The plan is set up so each department sends a single resource, so that each fire department can maintain the ability to answer normal alarms within their communities. This was quickly followed by a request through the Burlington and Monmouth County Fire Coordinators for strike team and task force resources to assist in structural protection, and soon thereafter resources from Atlantic, Gloucester, and Camden Counties. It was determined by the County Coordinator that getting resources from any further north would be an issue because of traffic problems and heavy congestion on the GSP.

It was clear that there was not going to be a way to stop or control the fire until major backfiring operations were established along Cedar Bridge Avenue, Route 72, and the Garden State Parkway and along Route 539. This operation would take hours because of the size of the area the fire encompassed. Backfiring operations performed by the NJFFS continued throughout the evening and early morning. All the while, the fire continued to expand and spread, creating a fire that was now several thousand acres in size. This fire was heading directly for the Pinewood Estates Mobile Home Park, and the Brighton at Barnegat Mobile Home Park which are located on the south side of Route 72. Upon an order for structural protection from the NJFFS, numerous strike teams and
Task Forces from Ocean, Monmouth, and Burlington Counties were quickly deployed to protect these two developments which consisted of nearly 500 mobile homes. At the same time resources were deployed to protect the Fawn Lakes development on Route 72 and several nursing homes and medical facilities further east on Route 72.

All fire resources put in position at the two mobile home parks faced a quickly moving ½ mile long 50-60 foot high head fire that hit these two developments head on. Out of the estimated 500 mobile homes and single family structures just in this area, only 5 mobile homes were lost along with a few cars and boats. Other homes suffered minor exposure damage from the intense heat. This is a credit to all of the fire departments involved in structure protection along with the NJFFS. Had the fire jumped beyond Route 72 untold numbers of homes may have been lost.

There were other developments and businesses within the 20 square mile area which required structure protection during the first day, and during the course of the second day of operations on May 15th. In addition, when the weather front came through late in the day on Wednesday, numerous strike teams and task forces were re-deployed for additional structure protection assignments, due to a major wind shift which caused the fire to have multiple flare up and head fires. The weather front brought with it some much needed rain, which helped in slowing and eventually stopping the forward progress of the fire on Wednesday evening. All structural protection resources were released Wednesday evening by 2030 hours.

All toll, approximately 17,000 acres of forest burned, 5 mobile homes were lost, and several others suffered radiant heat damage to some extent.

To see the size and speed of the fire, and the severe interface problems which existed with this fire, it is to the credit of all fire resources on scene that more structures and improved property were not destroyed. Most units were committed for the duration of the incident either on direct assignment or being on the ready in the staging area.
Many other agencies were involved with this incident dealing with evacuations, traffic control, and other duties. Local and mutual aid from EMS squads, local police depts., Ocean County OEM. Local OEM’S, N.J.S.P, N.J.D.O.T, N.J.D.E.P, N.J.D.F.S, all provided assistance and support at this fire.

As with any fire, several lessons were learned which will serve to improve the response, communications, coordination, management of a large scale incident of this magnitude in the future. Only two minor injuries were reported, and no lives were lost, again a credit to all involved.