A fire burns on the gunnery range at Fort Dix (Photo courtesy of Russ Meseroll with Joint Base Public Affairs Office)
A fire burns on the gunnery range at Fort Dix (Photo courtesy of Russ Meseroll with Joint Base Public Affairs Office)
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Parts of the Jersey Shore woke up to a smokey smell from Tuesday's 700 acre fire on the gunnery range at Fort Dix and a second fire in Lakewood.

Tech Sgt. Chris Powell, with the public affairs office at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, said the fire is still burning, but contained. "Last night there was one fire they were working to contain and they were able to do that. At this point they've been able to extinguish all the other fires and they're working to get the last ones extinguished."

The Lakewood Scoop reported Lakewood firefighters and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service are fighing a brush fire on Oak Street in Lakewood that started on Wednesday morning.

Smoke could be smelled in Point Pleasant Beach and large plumes of smoke could also be seen looking west from the Garden State Parkway in Lakewood.

There's been no damage to property, injuries or threats to off-base property from the fire which is contained to the gunnery range, according to Powell.

Powell said the fire likely started because of a flare. "Nothing went wrong. These fires are kind of a common occurrence out at the ranges. Typically they don't get this big. They're usually able to get them out before they grow. It's kind of dry out there, it's hot and the conditions are right when they are using any kind of incendinary rounds like flares that burns real hot and it has flames."

Six firefighting Joint Base units and four units from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service worked to put out the fire on Tuesday.

The fire is the second in southern Ocean County and Burlington County this week. A fire on Sunday in Woodland along Route 72 burned 350 acres.

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