New Jersey wildfire forces thousands to evacuate
April 23 (UPI) -- Thousands of New Jersey residents have been evacuated as a wildfire burning along the East Coast continues to grow, authorities said.
According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Jones Road Wildfire ignited Tuesday in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County.
By 10:30 p.m. EDT Tuesday, it had grown to approximately 8,500 acres and was only 10% contained, the fire service said said.
Some 3,000 residents in Ocean and Lacey townships have been evacuated, it said, adding that about 1,320 structures are being threatened by the blaze.
"Damage assessments underway," the fire service said.
Several roads have been closed due to the fire, including Route 9 in Lacey Township, where police said earlier Wednesday that it will remain that way for the "foreseeable future."
More than 25,000 customers in Ocean County were without electricity early Wednesday, according to PowerOutage.us.
Jersey Central Power and Light Company confirmed in a statement on X that it had cut power to some 25,000 customers at the request of the forest fire service to de-energize all power lines in and out of its Oyster Creek substation.
"We do not anticipate restoring power tonight," it said in a Tuesday night statement. "We will work to restore power to customers as we are safely able, including through tying areas to neighboring lines where safe and possible."
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
"My office is closely monitoring the Jones Road Wildfire, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said in a statement on X.
"Please follow warnings and directions from local and state emergency services."
According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service's website, there are an average of 1,500 wildfires a year that damage or destroy 7,000 acres.
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