New Jersey faces biggest wildfire in 20 years as more than 11,000 acres burn. Here's what we know
A massive wildfire is still burning in New Jersey on Wednesday, covering more than 11,500 acres and prompting the evacuation of 5,000 people in what officials believe is the biggest blaze in recent memory.
The Jones Road Wildfire began in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management area in Ocean County on Tuesday morning. By 10:30pm that night, the fire had consumed 8,500 acres, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
Once the fire began, 25 mph winds fueled its growth and spread it around the region.
As of Wednesday morning, acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency in response to the fire, as officials confirmed that 30 percent had been contained.
Shawn LaTourette, the state's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, warned that the blaze could "very well end up being the biggest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years."
In an average year, approximately 7,000 acres of New Jersey's forests are consumed by fire. The Jones Road Wildfire blew past the yearly average in a day, CNN reports.
Despite its size and intensity, LaTourette said the response of state workers has prevented a "major disaster."
"Thanks to the incredible, heroic work of the good men and women of our New Jersey Forest Fire Service, folks' homes and lives have been saved and we've truly averted a major disaster," LaTourette said. "Now this wildfire is not under full and complete control. We still have a lot of work to do to achieve complete containment of the wildfire."
Fire officials estimate that the blaze will continue to burn for a few more days and may spread, but likely in unpopulated parts of the state.
Shortly after its rapid expansion, fire officials called for the evacuation of approximately 5,000 residents from Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County. There inferno also threatened 1,320 structures, although no structural damage was reported in Ocean Township. Lacey Township did report some damage.
All of the mandatory evacuation orders were lifted by 6:30am on Wednesday morning.
The New Jersey Forest Service said one commercial building was destroyed, as well as multiple outbuildings and vehicles. A full damage assessment is now underway.
More than 25,000 customers were without electricity Wednesday morning after officials turned it off to keep fire crews safe, NBC News reports.
Jersey Central Power and Light said that its crews were cleared on Wednesday to assess its lines for fire damage. Once it has made sure its equipment is in working order, power should be restored to those still in the dark. Residents in Lacey Township should have their power restored by Wednesday afternoon, according to the company.
Portions of the Garden State Parkway were closed due to the fire causing a major traffic slowdown, but have reopened as of early Wednesday morning.
High fire risk conditions persisted in central and southern New Jersey on Wednesday.
New Jersey is currently under an official drought warning, and is experiencing "well-below average precipitation throughout the winter" according to a state press release issued last month.
In what is likely a relief to firefighters, winds this week are forecast to be slow — between 5 and 10 mph — which should help starve the blaze.
Smoke from the fire is expected to impact areas southern New Jersey, which includes Atlantic City. By Wednesday night, shifting winds are expected to start blowing the Jersey smoke toward New York City.
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The Independent
23-04-2025
- The Independent
New Jersey faces biggest wildfire in 20 years as more than 11,000 acres burn. Here's what we know
A massive wildfire is still burning in New Jersey on Wednesday, covering more than 11,500 acres and prompting the evacuation of 5,000 people in what officials believe is the biggest blaze in recent memory. The Jones Road Wildfire began in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management area in Ocean County on Tuesday morning. By 10:30pm that night, the fire had consumed 8,500 acres, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Once the fire began, 25 mph winds fueled its growth and spread it around the region. As of Wednesday morning, acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency in response to the fire, as officials confirmed that 30 percent had been contained. Shawn LaTourette, the state's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, warned that the blaze could "very well end up being the biggest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years." In an average year, approximately 7,000 acres of New Jersey's forests are consumed by fire. The Jones Road Wildfire blew past the yearly average in a day, CNN reports. Despite its size and intensity, LaTourette said the response of state workers has prevented a "major disaster." "Thanks to the incredible, heroic work of the good men and women of our New Jersey Forest Fire Service, folks' homes and lives have been saved and we've truly averted a major disaster," LaTourette said. "Now this wildfire is not under full and complete control. We still have a lot of work to do to achieve complete containment of the wildfire." Fire officials estimate that the blaze will continue to burn for a few more days and may spread, but likely in unpopulated parts of the state. Shortly after its rapid expansion, fire officials called for the evacuation of approximately 5,000 residents from Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County. There inferno also threatened 1,320 structures, although no structural damage was reported in Ocean Township. Lacey Township did report some damage. All of the mandatory evacuation orders were lifted by 6:30am on Wednesday morning. The New Jersey Forest Service said one commercial building was destroyed, as well as multiple outbuildings and vehicles. A full damage assessment is now underway. More than 25,000 customers were without electricity Wednesday morning after officials turned it off to keep fire crews safe, NBC News reports. Jersey Central Power and Light said that its crews were cleared on Wednesday to assess its lines for fire damage. Once it has made sure its equipment is in working order, power should be restored to those still in the dark. Residents in Lacey Township should have their power restored by Wednesday afternoon, according to the company. Portions of the Garden State Parkway were closed due to the fire causing a major traffic slowdown, but have reopened as of early Wednesday morning. High fire risk conditions persisted in central and southern New Jersey on Wednesday. New Jersey is currently under an official drought warning, and is experiencing "well-below average precipitation throughout the winter" according to a state press release issued last month. In what is likely a relief to firefighters, winds this week are forecast to be slow — between 5 and 10 mph — which should help starve the blaze. Smoke from the fire is expected to impact areas southern New Jersey, which includes Atlantic City. By Wednesday night, shifting winds are expected to start blowing the Jersey smoke toward New York City.
NBC News
23-04-2025
- NBC News
New Jersey wildfire continues to burn after thousands evacuated
A massive wildfire continued to burn in New Jersey on Wednesday, spanning over 8,500 acres and prompting the evacuation of 3,000 people, which snarled traffic and sent huge plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky. The Jones Road Wildfire started in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management area in Ocean County on Tuesday afternoon and exploded in size to 8,500 acres by 10:30 p.m., the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. The blaze was fueled by strong 25 mph gusts that whipped through the area. As of Tuesday evening, the fire is only 10% contained. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. But long-term drought conditions, strong winds, and warm weather contributed to its spread. Acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency effective at 7 a.m. Wednesday, in response to the fire in Ocean County. The inferno threatens 1,320 structures and has prompted the evacuation of 3,000 residents from Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County. Ocean Township and Lacey Township police said all mandatory evacuation orders were lifted as of 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. More than 25,000 customers don't have electricity on Wednesday morning after officials turned off power to keep fire crews safe. "Power is expected to remain out with no timetable for return. Crews are actively surveying their infrastructure for damage," Ocean Township police said. Ocean Township reported no structural damage from the fire, but Lacey Township did report some. The fire also triggered a major traffic slowdown Tuesday evening with road closures along the Garden State Parkway. This morning, the New Jersey State Police announced that the Garden State Parkway and Route 9 near the fire zone are now open again. Harrowing videos and photos shared on social media show orange flames consuming the forest area, and thick orange and black smoke rising into the sky. There are high fire danger conditions in central and southern Jersey on Wednesday. However, there is some respite with cooler temperatures and lighter winds. Relative humidity will be in the 20-40% range. This morning, the smoke will impact areas across southern New Jersey, including Atlantic City. By the afternoon, a 180-degree wind shift will push smoke north toward the New York City metro area by tonight. By Thursday morning, smoky skies are possible for New York City, parts of Long Island, and north-central New Jersey.
The Independent
23-04-2025
- The Independent
New Jersey forest fire forces thousands to evacuate and temporarily closed a major highway
A fast-moving wildfire still burning in New Jersey on Wednesday forced thousands of people to evacuate and temporarily closed a stretch of a major highway. The Garden State Parkway, one of New Jersey's busiest highways, was closed between Barnegat and Lacey townships on Tuesday night. It has since reopened, the Ocean County Sheriff's Office posted online Wednesday morning. More than 1,300 structures were threatened and about 3,000 residents were evacuated, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. Shelters were open at two high schools, according to the Barnegat Police Department. The fire service planned to give an update at a news conference late Wednesday morning. The Jersey Central Power and Light Company cut power to about 25,000 customers at the request of the Forest Fire Service and the wildfire's command post Tuesday evening, including thousands in Barnegat Township. The company said on X that it doesn't expect to restore the power before Wednesday. 'This is for the safety of crews battling the fire,' the company said. The fire in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area burned more than 13 square miles (34 square kilometers) of land, fire officials said. The blaze, burning in Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County, was only about 10% contained Tuesday night, the fire service said. The cause of the fire was under investigation. There were no immediate reports of injuries. Debi Schaffer was caught in gridlocked traffic after evacuating with her two dogs while her husband agreed to stay with their 22 chickens, The Press of Atlantic City reported. 'I wanted to take them in the car with me; can you imagine 22 chickens in a car?" she told the newspaper. Around her Waretown house it was 'like a war zone,' she said, describing smoke, sirens and the buzz of helicopters. The site of the fire is near an alpaca farm. The farm said in a Facebook post that the property wasn't threatened and all of the animals were safe. The blaze is the second major forest fire in the region in less than a week.
