Brush fire consumes parts of 800-acre park in Teaneck, N.J.
TEANECK, N.J. -- Brush fires popped up in at least three separate places across the state of New Jersey on Tuesday.
There were reports of flames in Jersey City, Teaneck and down in Manchester Township, near Toms River.
Chopper 2 was live over Bergen County, where dry and windy conditions contributed to the five-alarm blaze. Fourteen fire departments responded to the scene, where the blaze was consuming parts of an 800-acre park. Officials told CBS2 the fire was contained.
Residents said they saw a wall of fire and it was frightening.
Flames roared and the fire grew off Teaneck Road. The flames were just a few yards from some people's homes.
Teaneck police put out a social media alert warning everyone near the Teaneck portion of Overpeck Park to take precautions but police did not recommend any evacuations. The fire impacted about 10 acres of the undeveloped wooded area, but firefighters poured enough water on it to bring it under control.
The state of New Jersey says such fires are not unusual in April, which is considered the peak month for wildfires.
All of North Jersey is listed by state Department of Environmental Protection as being at "very high" risk for wildfires.
Bergen County Executive James Tedesco told CBS2, "Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter and so the risk will even increase more. So we are on heightened alert here in the county. We're so populous, the most populous county in the state of New Jersey, but you have areas like this so you have to make sure that you're well prepared, and we are here in Bergen County."
The flames could be seen from I-95 and I-80. It was a relatively large wildfire for this part of Bergen County.
One firefighter was taken from the scene after reporting chest pain and was being treated at a local hospital.
