Two township 14-year-old males have been charged in connection with a forest fire that burned 52 acres of land near Sycamore Drive and the Berlin Township border on Oct. 30, according to the Evesham Township Police Department.
The blaze was one of two wildfires that erupted in the area – the other was reported on Nov. 7 – and fire officials are continuing to investigate if the two are connected. Both burned more than 400 acres of land, according to reports.
After several days of combating the fire, the fire was extinguished by the Evesham fire department and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
“We have been fortunate that no structures were consumed by the fire and no one was seriously injured or killed as a result of these fires,” Evesham Police Chief Walt Miller noted in a township message.
The first juvenile was arrested on Nov. 7. Evesham detectives arrested the second juvenile suspect on Nov. 19. Both have been charged with aggravated arson and causing or risking widespread injury or damage, both second-degree crimes.
Detectives are continuing efforts to identify all suspects who’ve contributed to the fires. Anyone with information is asked to contact Evesham police at (856) 983-1116 or the confidential tip line at (856) 983-4699. Information can be emailed to MahanD@eveshampd.org. Anonymous tips can be texted to ETPDTIP to 847411.