http://www.boston.com/dailynews/162/nation/New_Jersey_forest_fire_coverin:.shtml

New Jersey forest fire covering 1,600 acres blamed on errant Air National Guard target bomb

By Associated Press, 6/11/2001 17:17

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) An errant Air National Guard practice bomb caused a fire that burned more than 1,600 acres of woods, officials said Monday.

The dummy bomb, dropped by an F-16 fighter, landed about 100 yards outside the 2,400-acre Warren Grove bombing range area Sunday. The 25-pound dummy bomb contained no explosives, but had a small charge in its base designed to send up a plume of smoke so the pilot could see where it fell.

''Evidently, it was enough to start a fire,'' said Col. John Dwyer, a spokesman for the New Jersey Air National Guard. ''Why it fell into an area that was not cleared of debris and brush is under investigation.''

The fire at the Pinelands National Reserve forced the closing of State Route 539 for several hours. No evacuations were necessary and no buildings were damaged, state Forest Fire Service officials said.

No disciplinary action was expected against the pilot, whose name was not released, said Dwyer. ''There's no malice here. It's pure accident.''

-- Anonymous, June 12, 2001