A Haven in the Heat

A Haven in the Heat. Cedar Bridge Tavern. , The Pine Barrens has and will always be a fire prone area. In fact, many historic towns have come and gone due to fires that have claimed them. However, Cedar Bridge has remained a bastion of safety in the face of constant pressure from fire. As with many things in life, it’s all about location., Those who dwell in the Pine Barrens are always under the constant threat of fire. Whether it be accidental, arson, or natural causes, fire has threatened growth, both human and environmental. Cedar Bridge is no exception to this pressure, yet it has survived where others have fallen due to its proximity to water and proper management of the area surrounding this historic building., This is not to say that fire has not threatened the site. On May 10, 1895, a fire was accidentally set while clearing a safety strip around a cranberry bog near Cedar Bridge. The fire lasted two days and burned over 2,000 acres, destroying the bog and a large cranberry and huckleberry crop. This is one of many fires that have burned in the area around the tavern, yet since 1816 the tavern has stood untouched., Up until the early 1900s fire posed a greater threat due to lack of management of ladder fuels, less firefighting tools, and lack of organization among those who fought fires. In his 1894 report to the State Geologist on fire in the Pines, John Gifford noted the lack of unified action in fighting or preventing forest fires. He would also report 49 fires which burned 60,000 acres in Ocean, Atlantic and Burlington Counties., Poor fire management practices would lead to close calls and even loss of life. In fact, a reported fire in 1840 that broke out between Oyster Creek and Forked River moved so rapidly that the men fighting the fire had to run to the nearest body of water. One man, George Collins, was not so lucky and was overtaken by the flames. Gifford Pinchot, a hired consultant, in his 1899 report called for forest fire control and the creation of a forest fire service. It wouldn’t be until 1906 that a law was passed, creating the Forest Fire Service.