From The Press of Atlantic City — A forest fire burning in a remote section of the New Jersey Pinelands continued to grow Wednesday, but firefighters were making progress in containing it.

Their biggest problem was increasing wind gusts that fanned the flames across southern New Jersey even more powerfully than Tuesday.

Largely because of that, the blaze had engulfed 1,200 acres by Wednesday morning, said Maris Gabliks, head of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

“It’s very windy today, probably more than yesterday, and that’s making it difficult,” Gabliks said.

He said approximately four homes are in potential danger, but were not imminently threatened as of Wednesday morning. The residents of two others also were evacuated because they do not have electricity due to the fire.

A section of heavily traveled Route 206 remained closed because of heavy smoke in the area.

Firefighters had the blaze about 30 percent contained as of Wednesday morning, and were aided by several factors. One was that part of the area that’s now burning had already been burned in a fire last summer, depriving it of fuel to spread quickly.

Another is the lack of heavy development in that section of the Pinelands where Camden, Burlington and Atlantic counties converge.

The blaze began in Waterford Township in Camden County, but quickly spread with 25 mph winds, with gusts reaching 30 mph.

Wednesday’s forecast for the area called for winds of 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 30.

Two injuries were reported. A fire police officer was hit by a car while directing traffic but declined medical attention, and a firefighter was released from a hospital after experiencing chest pains.

About 150 firefighters were using pumper trucks, helicopters, a firefighting plane, and several bulldozers to battle the blaze. Aerial drops of water on the blaze were due to resume early Wednesday afternoon, Gabliks said.

Conditions in the area are very dry; the region has not experienced a heavy rain storm in several weeks.

Firefighters may get an assist from a large storm expected to move through New Jersey over the weekend, though.

View the Photo Gallery of the Wharton State Forest fire
View the Video Gallery of the Wharton State Forest fire