Lightning strikes from two June storms sparked the Acorn Hill and Flatiron wildfires in Burlington County, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s Forest Fire Service announced today.
“Lightning-caused wildfires are uncommon in New Jersey and represent 1% of all wildfire starts in the Garden State. Wildfires caused by lightning do not necessarily start immediately and can burn inside a tree for several days before escaping into the surrounding vegetation. This occurrence is known as a “holdover fire,” and is what led to the Acorn Hill Wildfire in Woodland Twp after a storm passed through the area on Friday, June 16. Dry lightning ignited the Flatiron Wildfire shortly after a storm passed through Medford Twp on Friday, June 3. The Forest Fire Service continues to investigate several other recent major wildfires in the state.”
The Forest Fire Service investigated both wildfires in coordination with the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and the Burlington County Fire Marshal.
ACORN HILL WILDFIRE – Woodland Township, Burlington County
The Acorn Hill Wildfire was first reported to the Forest Fire Service by an aircraft en route to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst the morning of Monday, June 19. Upon arrival, Section Forest Fire Warden John Earlin Sr. reported an active fire burning in excess of 25 acres in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest. The fire grew to 246 acres before being 100 percent contained at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 20.
FLATIRON WILDFIRE – Medford Township, Burlington County.
The Flatiron Wildfire was first reported to the Forest Fire Service by a resident on Elderberry Drive who said they saw a large glow in the woods behind their home before going to bed just after midnight on Saturday, June 3. Upon arrival, Section Forest Fire Warden Tom Gerber reported an active fire which had consumed 20 acres and was rapidly spreading toward homes. A backfiring operation quickly commenced to burn the forest fuels ahead of the main body of fire to protect the 40 homes that were threatened by the fire. The fire grew to 220 acres before being 100 percent contained at 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 3. One shed was destroyed in the fire. 
