Thousands Evacuated In NJ Forest Fire After Jet Drops Flare Into Pinelands - AFP

[hatrack]

A wildfire raged across the northeastern US state of New Jersey on Wednesday, forcing thousands of people to evacuate in the latest in a series of such blazes to strike the United States this month.

The fire spread through a nature reserve area in the southern part of the state overnight after being ignited when an F-16 jet fighter on a routine training mission dropped a flare on dry pinelands.

The warplane had been practicing the use of a self-defense system in which flares are fired as decoys to mislead heat-seeking missiles, a spokesman for the New Jersey National Guard told the New York Times.

Around 2,500 people had to be evacuated from their homes and as many as 13,500 acres (5,400 hectares) of land were torched, a New Jersey fire official told a news conference. "We still have a lot of work to do with the fire. We need to get containment around the perimeter," he said.

EDIT

http://www.terradaily.com/2007/070516123452.zvdyaeh7.html

[jojo54]

1. This wasn't the first time that the mis-guided flare resulted in fire!

Then there was the time the National Guard shot up the local school.

Nice, huh?

[shance]

4. Who says it was misguided?

n/t

[jojo54]

2. This wasn't the first time that the mis-guided flare resulted in fire!

Then there was the time the National Guard shot up the local school.

Nice, huh?

[ramapo]

3. Whoopsie!

Not too smart...I wonder if the feds will pay the costs of fighting the fire?

[PsN2Wind]

5. Too bad they're not near enough to the ocean

To practice over water.

[Javaman]

7. yeah...to bad...nt

[Javaman]

6. ...

:banghead: