The March 1 blaze broke out behind two homes in the township. There were no injuries or structure damage reported.
A large brush fire that broke out in Gloucester Township on March 1 was quickly brought under control by about 100 firefighters and first responders from more than 20 state, county and local departments.
The fire was first spotted around 9:30 p.m. by a township police officer patrolling the area of Erial Road near Primrose Lane. A nearby resident also reported the fire shortly after.
Gusty wind conditions caused the blaze to spread rapidly, with about 40 acres of brush burned before crews were able to contain it. No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged. As a precaution, two homes were temporarily evacuated, but residents were able to return once the fire was under control.
Erial Road remained closed for about four hours, and portions of Hickstown Road were intermittently shut down to allow emergency vehicles quick access to the fire, the cause of which remains under investigation by the state fire marshal, the Erial marshal and the township police department.
While officials reported no ongoing hazards, fire crews could remain on site to watch for flare-ups.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about how the fire started to contact police at (856) 228-4500. Anonymous tips can be submitted at https://gtpolice.com/tips or via the anonymous tip line at (856) 842-5560.
