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"It's raining ashes," resident Kelly Bacon Fousse said after the fire ignited in the area south of Degraw Avenue between Route 95 and Teaneck Road around 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 11.
Dry, windy conditions spread the five-alarmer, which brought more than a dozen other area departments to Teaneck to assist, Township Manager Dean Kazinci told Daily Voice.
One firefighter was taken to Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck, he said.
Although what was described as a wall of fire came dangerously close to homes, responders contained it to a 10-acre spread of undeveloped woodland, preventing evacuations.
A preliminary cause of the fire wasn't officially determined as of late Tuesday.
Firefighters continued dousing flames through the night. Teaneck Road and Frank W. Burr Boulevard were temporarily closed, as was access to southbound Route 95 and eastbound Route 80.
Wildfires are common this time of year, which is why firefighters have remained on alert.
Low humidity, strong winds and dry ground comprise the toxic cocktail. All that's needed is one negligent person to toss a cigarette or fail to fully douse a fire pit.
Tuesday's fire nonetheless was unusually large for the area.
The risk isn't over, either: Bergen County Executive James Tedesco warned citizens to be wary as temperatures continue to rise on Wednesday.
This blaze was one of three wildfires that made headlines Tuesday in New Jersey.
One was a 500-acre fire in Manchester Township, and the other a seven-alarm fire in Jersey City.
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