Crews battling New Jersey wildfires in driest conditions in nearly 120 years

Associated Press

EVESHAM, N.J. (AP) — Firefighters are battling blazes in the parched New Jersey Pinelands, where they say conditions are the driest they have been in at least 120 years. A forest fire in the Philadelphia suburb of Evesham forced the evacuation of a dozen homes Thursday and was threatening dozens of other residences. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service says the blaze was discovered Thursday morning and had burned completely uncontained across less than half a square mile by early afternoon. Crews also were battling blazes in Jackson and Glassboro townships. Conditions were so dry that new spot fires were continuously breaking out as wind-blown leaves fall onto burning or smoldering areas.