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Fire burns 75 acres in Wawayanda State Park

| 23 Apr 2014 | 11:36
    A state forest fire helicopter drops down over Highland Lakes to pick up a bucket of water and heads back to the fire scene in Vernon at 12:00 PM on Tuesday.
    A state forest fire helicopter drops down over Highland Lakes to pick up a bucket of water and heads back to the fire scene in Vernon at 12:00 PM on Tuesday.
    A state forest fire helicopter flies over the fire scene in Vernon at noon on Tuesday.
    A state forest fire helicopter flies over the fire scene in Vernon at noon on Tuesday.
    A state fire service helicopter drops water over the Vernon fire on Tuesday morning.
    A state fire service helicopter drops water over the Vernon fire on Tuesday morning.
    Residents gather at a Highland Lakes Marina to take photos of the state fire service helicopter picking up water to drop on the forest fire in Vernon on Tuesday afternoon.
    Residents gather at a Highland Lakes Marina to take photos of the state fire service helicopter picking up water to drop on the forest fire in Vernon on Tuesday afternoon.
    A state forest fire helicopter flies over the fire scene in Vernon at noon on Tuesday.
    A state forest fire helicopter flies over the fire scene in Vernon at noon on Tuesday.

VERNON — A fire burned about 75 acres in Wawayanda State Park, starting Monday night and lasting into Tuesday at the top of the first ridge behind the area of the A&P Super Market on County Highway 515, near Highland Lakes.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service declared the fire under control at 5 p.m. Tuesday evening. There was never any threat to homes in the Highland Lakes portion of the township, as the fire was far aaway from any areas open to the public.

Starting Tuesday morning the Forest Fire Service started using helicopters to bring aerial water drops to assist a crew working on the ground.

Vernon Township Police said they became aware of the fire at 9 p.m. Monday night.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

— Photos by Robert G. Breese
For more photos, visit www.westmilfordmessenger.com.