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Firefighters Gain Control Of Wind-Whipped Wildfires In N.J., Staten Island, Connecticut

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Firefighters in southern New Jersey continued to make progress Tuesday night battling brush fires and wildfires.

Authorities said a small brush fire that broke out in Barnegat late Tuesday morning has been fully contained, while crews hope to have a large wildfire in Burlington County fully contained by Tuesday night.

Roughly 20 acres were burned in the Barnegat blaze, which remains under investigation. It occurred near a residential area, but no injuries or property damage was reported.

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Earlier Tuesday, crews had about 75 percent of a large, wind-whipped wildfire contained in Tabernacle and Woodland. Officials expect the wildfire, which has burned more than 1,000 acres, will be completely under control by week's end at the latest.

No injuries have been reported, but investigators said the fire is considered suspicious.

On Staten Island, the fire that broke out early Monday morning at the former Fresh Kills landfill is under control. It's expected to burn until Wednesday, but no evacuations have been needed.

The big problem has been smoke. It snarled traffic for hours Monday along the West Shore Expressway.

Firefighters also tackled a separate brush fire on the borough's east shore, in the Gateway National Recreation Area.

In Connecticut, a wildfire near railroad tracks in Milford has been put out.

Metro-North and Amtrak train service through the area was suspended for hours Monday, but service is now back to normal.

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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