You wake up to the smell of woodsmoke and the sound of sirens, and in South Jersey, that’s becoming a bit too common. Honestly, the last 48 hours have been a chaotic mess for local fire crews and families. Between a massive high-rise evacuation in Atlantic City and the ongoing dread of "winter wildfires," things are tense.
If you're looking for the latest on the fire today in south jersey, you've probably heard bits and pieces about the Brighton Towers. It wasn’t just a small kitchen fire. This was a four-alarm monster that forced hundreds of people—many of them elderly or using wheelchairs—out into the cold.
The Atlantic City High-Rise Nightmare
Basically, the Brighton Towers on Atlantic Avenue became a scene of "organized chaos" on Wednesday and the smoke is still clearing today. Firefighters were literally going room to room, floor by floor. Imagine being on the 12th floor of an aging building with no sprinklers in the units. That’s what residents like Rahi Shazna dealt with.
The fire started on the 8th floor. It didn't just stay there. It gutted that unit and sent thick, acrid smoke billowing up to the 13th floor, while water from the hoses drenched everything down to the 4th.
Deputy Fire Chief Paul Hess and his team had their hands full. Because the building is older, it lacks modern sprinkler systems in the actual apartments. Firefighters had to park residents on balconies just so they could breathe fresh air while the hallways were cleared.
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Here is the current tally of the damage:
- 12 units are completely uninhabitable right now.
- 350 to 400 people were displaced during the height of the fight.
- One police officer ended up in the hospital for smoke inhalation.
- The Red Cross is currently set up to help the families who can't go back home yet.
The Camden Scrapyard Legal War
While Atlantic City was burning, the state was busy filing a massive lawsuit against EMR Advanced Recycling in Camden. This isn't just about one fire today; it’s about a dozen of them over the last few years. Attorney General Matthew Platkin and DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette are fed up.
They’re calling the facility a "public nuisance." If you live in the Waterfront South neighborhood, you know exactly why. You’ve been breathing in metallic smoke from burning piles of plastic and glass for years. The lawsuit aims to force the company to finally clean up those stories-high piles of junk that keep igniting.
Is the Forest Fire Season Starting Early?
You might think January is too cold for wildfires. You'd be wrong.
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The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is already on high alert. 2025 was a brutal year for fires, like the Jones Road blaze that scorched 15,000 acres. Even though we’re in the middle of winter, the ground is surprisingly dry in spots.
Starting this week, you’re going to see smoke in the Pine Barrens, but don't panic. It’s likely a prescribed burn. The Forest Fire Service is trying to hit their goal of treating 25,000 acres before the spring "fire season" officially kicks off in March. They’re basically fighting fire with fire—burning off the "fuel" (dead leaves and pine needles) now so a stray cigarette doesn't level a neighborhood in May.
Protecting Your Home in the Jersey Pines
If you live near the Wharton State Forest or anywhere with a lot of pine trees, you've gotta be proactive. It's not just about what the fire department does. It's about what you do in your backyard.
Clean your gutters. Seriously. Those dry pine needles sitting in your gutters are like a fuse for your roof.
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Keep a "defensible space" of at least 30 feet around your house. That means no woodpiles leaning against the vinyl siding and no overgrown brush touching the porch. Honestly, it's the little things that save a house when the embers start flying.
Check the NJ Forest Fire Service's social media or the NJOEM GIS dashboard before you plan a backyard bonfire. If the wind is up and the humidity is low, they'll put out a ban. Don't be the person who starts a 50-acre brush fire because you wanted to burn some old pallets.
What to Do Next
If you’ve been impacted by the Atlantic City fire, reach out to the American Red Cross New Jersey Region for immediate housing assistance. For those in Camden concerned about air quality from the scrapyard incidents, you can track active complaints through the DEP's "WARNDEP" hotline.
Stay vigilant with your home heating, too. Space heaters are a leading cause of house fires this time of year. Keep them three feet away from anything that can burn. No exceptions.
The situation with the fire today in south jersey is evolving, especially as investigators figure out exactly what sparked that 8th-floor unit in Atlantic City. Keep your scanners on and your gutters clean.