Wind shift brings smoky smell from NJ’s Dragway Wildfire

🔥 The wildfire near the former Atco Dragway has burned since Sunday afternoon

🔥 No structures have been threatened by the wildfire

🔥 It is the 13th major wildfire in New Jersey this year

WATERFORD – A shift in the wind will bring the smell of the Dragway Wildfire to more of a wider area on Tuesday as efforts to contain the fire continue.

The fire along Jackson Road inside Wharton State Forest in the Atco section of Waterford Township near the old Atco Dragway has burned 1,500 acres and is 85% contained as of the latest update from the state Forest Fire Service Tuesday morning.

No structures are threatened and Jackson Road is still closed.

The Forest Fire Service said “significant progress” has been made in the fire which Jay Wyatt, section forest fire warden, told 6 ABC Action News started in a very remote area that could only be reached by foot.

A cold front that passed through New Jersey early Tuesday changed the wind direction to the north, bringing the smell of the fire to more areas.

"We have seen gusts out of the northwest at 20+ mph. That is more than sufficient to transport smoke (and the smell) from the Dragway Wildfire throughout southern Burlington, southern Ocean, and Atlantic counties. As of now, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is in the Moderate range, so smoke particulates in the air do not pose a major concern," New Jersey 101.5 Chief Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said.

The wildfire is the 13th major wildfire of 2023 that has burned over 100 acres. 983 total wildfires have been reported in New Jersey this year.

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