'Pray For NJ': 70-Acre Wildfire Burns Along Popular Mount Tammany Hiking Trail

State and federal firefighting agencies battled a wildfire that spread across nearly 70 acres of a popular hiking trail on the New Jersey side of the Delaware Water Gap and was still burning Monday morning.

The Mount Tammany wildfire burns Sunday night over Route 80.
Photo Credit: *Tamara Baxter*

Fire in the Delaware Water Gap.
Photo Credit: *Section A3 District Warden's Association*

A Route 80 motorist captures pockets of fire on Mount Tammany Sunday night.
Photo Credit: *@akbaroff_cali Instagram*

#PrayForNewJersey
Photo Credit: *@akbaroff_cali Instagram*

"This mountain and this hike was so beautiful and it breaks my heart to hear it’s on fire!"
Photo Credit: *@genninakcreations*

"One of our favorite places - so sad to hear of the recent fires there 😭 wishing for a quick and safe extinguish."
Photo Credit: *@courtgorhan Instagram*

Cecilia Levine

02/24/2020 10:14 a.m.

The fire was reported Sunday afternoon in Hardwick Township's Worthington State Forest off Mount Tammany's Red Dot Trail, and could be seen from Route 80.

The mountain peak overlooks the New Jersey and Pennsylvania border on Route 80.

Hikers on Sunday were allowed to descend on the Blue Blazed and Red Dot trails but access was closed to visitors on their way up.

The fire remained active as of 10 a.m. Monday morning. The cause remains under investigation but "did not begin as a controlled or prescribed burn," according to the National Park Service.

New Jersey blog NJ Spots launched a donation page for the National Park Service and local firefighters who responded. That campaign had raised more than $200 as of Monday morning.

Hikers that frequent the trail crafted posts on social media wishing for the best.

A Route 80 motorist posted videos of the blaze Sunday night.

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