WHITING — A specialized brush unit from the Whiting Volunteer Fire Company assisted the New Jersey Forest Fire Service (NJFFS) Sunday evening in battling a series of brush fires on the east side of the ASARCO (Heritage Minerals) property, officials said.
Whiting Fire’s Brush Unit 3319, a 2.5-ton military surplus truck designed for off-road wildland firefighting, was dispatched around 7:30 p.m. on July 6 at the request of NJFFS. The unit joined an ongoing suppression effort already underway by neighboring Stations 32 and 34.
Built through the NJFFS Co-Op program, Brush 3319 provides both high mobility across rugged terrain and increased water capacity, making it a critical resource in brush fire response across the region, fire officials said.
The Whiting crew remained on scene for several hours, supporting suppression operations while NJFFS investigators began an inquiry into the cause of the fires.
Authorities issued a reminder to the public that the ASARCO property is private land and off-limits to visitors. Unauthorized access not only constitutes trespassing but also poses safety risks and can hinder emergency response efforts, as responders noted during this incident.
“Whiting Fire remains proud to support interagency operations and stand ready to deploy specialized resources whenever and wherever they are needed,” the department said in a statement.
