New Jersey teen accused of sparking massive wildfire
Police in New Jersey have arrested a 19-year-old man in connection with sparking a massive wildfire that led to evacuations and power outages.
Joseph Kling is accused of starting the Jones Road Wildfire, which has grown to more than 15,000 acres and blanketed parts of the region in smoke.
He was arrested on Wednesday and is currently being held in detention.
Officials have not revealed what led to his arrest. On Thursday, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said "technical advancements" helped, although he did not provide further details.
Officials said the wildfire began after Mr Kling set wooden pallets on fire in a densely forested area, and then left the area while they were still burning.
Speaking to reporters, Mr Billhimer said he was "very confident" that Mr Kling intentionally set out to spark a wildfire. He added that witness statements have corroborated the allegation.
Mr Kling, who lives in New Jersey, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Mr Billhimer told reporters that the arrest should send a "message" to the community.
"Starting a fire out in the woods when the conditions are dry in the forest could lead to widespread damage, loss of life, loss of property and potentially criminal charges," Mr Billhimer said.
"It's a very dangerous thing, and we were taught as kids not to play with fire, but starting a fire in a forest is such a dangerous thing."
The Jones Road Fire was first spotted by crews on Tuesday, and grew to 15,200 acres Thursday during abnormally dry conditions. Officials said it is poised to possibly become the state's largest wildfire in 20 years.
It remains only 50% contained, officials said, adding that rain forecast for Saturday should help extinguish the blaze.
It is burning through a relatively unpopulated part of the state in the Forked River Mountains area in Ocean County. On Wednesday, officials lifted an evacuation order affecting around 5,000 residents.
No injuries or deaths have been reported. No homes were damaged, although one commercial building and several vehicles were destroyed.
The blaze also sparked air quality alerts across New Jersey, America's most densely populated state, as well as in New York City and Long Island.
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Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Teen charged with starting NJ wildfire blames ‘other people' at scene of blaze that burned more than 15K acres
A New Jersey man charged with starting the wildfire that tore through the eastern part of the state last month claimed that he shouldn't be blamed because more than a dozen others present at the time also failed to extinguish the flames. Joseph Kling, 19, was charged with aggravated arson and arson on April 23 for the out-of-control wildfire that tore through southern Ocean County, the said. The fire destroyed around 15,300 acres and was only declared 100% contained on May 12. On April 21, Kling allegedly set a pile of wooden pallets on fire and left without putting it out. Kling told NBC Philadelphia that he had to leave early to take his friend to the hospital after a gnarly dirt bike crash, but noted that there were still about 16 other people there when he departed. 'There were other people there, and I tried,' Kling insisted to the outlet. 'I kicked dirt on it and everything. I had the flame almost out, and other people were there.' So far, only Kling and an unidentified 17-year-old have been charged in connection with the Jones Road wildfire. The younger teen faces the same charges as Kling, including a hindering apprehension charge that was tacked on after the two allegedly lied to police and tried to pin the blame on Mexicans, prosecutors said. The fire reportedly started in an isolated area within the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust's Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area. It forced thousands to flee and was one of the largest wildfires recorded in the Garden State in recent years.
USA Today
20-05-2025
- USA Today
Teen charged in New Jersey fire denies responsibility for blaze: 'I kicked dirt on it'
Teen charged in New Jersey fire denies responsibility for blaze: 'I kicked dirt on it' Show Caption Hide Caption Joseph Kling, accused of starting the Jones Road wildfire, speaks with media Joseph Kling, accused of starting the Jones Road wildfire, speaks with the media after appearing for an early disposition conference in Toms River. TOMS RIVER, NJ — A New Jersey man accused of sparking a massive wildfire in central New Jersey in April denied responsibility for the blaze, saying other people with him should have extinguished the fire. Joseph Kling, 19, of Waretown, was charged with aggravated arson, arson, and hindering apprehension in connection with the Jones Road wildfire on April 23, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office. The fire erupted on April 22 in Waretown — an unincorporated community on the Jersey Shore — and rapidly spread throughout the southern Ocean County area. The fire, determined to be the second largest in New Jersey in the past 20 years, consumed more than 15,000 acres of the Pine Barrens and destroyed at least one building and multiple outbuildings and vehicles. The blaze was declared 100% contained on May 12, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire, according to authorities. Prosecutors accused Kling of setting wooden pallets on fire and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished. Following a brief court appearance on May 19, Kling told reporters there were 19 other people present at that bonfire, and 16 of them remained there when he left to help a friend in a dirt bike accident. Kling also said he tried to put out the fire before he left by kicking dirt on it. "I told them (the police) there were other people down there, and they ignored me," Kling said in front of the Ocean County Justice Complex with an electronic monitoring device visible on his ankle. "I kicked dirt on it and everything. I had the flame almost out." Following his arrest, Kling had been held in the Ocean County Jail until May 5, when Superior Court Judge Pamela Snyder placed him in home detention with an electronic monitoring anklet. The suspect is also charged in an unrelated case with simple assault and endangering an injured person in connection with a brawl that took place in the woods in Lacey in January. 2025 got off to a deadly start: How bad will wildfire season be in the US this year? Teen charged with setting wildfire A second teenage boy was also arrested in connection with the Jones Road wildfire. A 17-year-old, who was identified in court documents as the person who crashed his dirt bike, was charged with aggravated arson and hindering apprehension, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said on May 2. Gregory Lenzi, an assistant prosecutor for Ocean County, said the two defendants lied to police by falsely telling them that Mexican people started the blaze. An examination of phones belonging to both defendants revealed a chat between the two "appearing to refute the claim that Mexicans started the fire," according to Lenzi. Lenzi also noted that two others who were in the woods at the time of the incident told police that only the four of them were present when Kling placed two wooden pallets in a pit with gasoline and a gas-soaked item and lit it on fire. Those two people were identified in court documents as the defendants' girlfriends. "We caused the fire," the girlfriend of the 17-year-old defendant charged in the case said in a Snapchat conversation with a classmate, according to an affidavit of probable cause. Snapchat is a social media and instant messaging app where users can send videos, pictures, and messages that are usually only available for a short period. What to know: Greer Fire scorches over 20,000 acres across eastern Arizona Defense attorney argues Kling did not start the wildfire In response to Kling's comments on May 19, Billhimer said the investigation remains ongoing. "It would be inappropriate for us to offer further comment regarding the proofs," Billhimer said. "I will say that we look forward to trying this case in a courtroom, not on the courthouse steps." Kling's attorney, Joseph Compitello, said he expects more people to be prosecuted for the fire after a full investigation. The defense attorney insisted his client did not start the fire. Compitello said Kling "was unfortunately pinpointed, he was taken preemptively, and his statements, which have been consistent from day one, have been ignored, pushed aside," and not taken seriously. Julie Peterson, an assistant prosecutor for Ocean County, said at a news conference that no plea offer has been extended to Kling due to the active investigation. She said there still may be additional victims coming forward. "The state is still gathering information to get a big picture of the damage in the area," Peterson told Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan. Contributing: Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY
New York Post
20-05-2025
- New York Post
Teen charged with starting NJ wildfire blames ‘other people' at scene of blaze that burned more than 15K acres
A New Jersey man charged with starting the wildfire that tore through the eastern part of the state last month claimed that he shouldn't be blamed because more than a dozen others present at the time also failed to extinguish the flames. Joseph Kling, 19, was charged with aggravated arson and arson on April 23 for the out-of-control wildfire that tore through southern Ocean County, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said. The fire destroyed around 15,300 acres and was only declared 100% contained on May 12. On April 21, Kling allegedly set a pile of wooden pallets on fire and left without putting it out. 4 Joseph Kling, 19, claimed that more than a dozen others were present when he left the bonfire that later sparked the wildfire. AP 4 The wildfire proceeded to tear through more than 15,000 acres of the Garden State. Getty Images Kling told NBC Philadelphia that he had to leave early to take his friend to the hospital after a gnarly dirt bike crash, but noted that there were still about 16 other people there when he departed. 'There were other people there, and I tried,' Kling insisted to the outlet. 'I kicked dirt on it and everything. I had the flame almost out, and other people were there.' 4 Thousands of residents had to evacuate after the blaze tore through AP 4 A 17-year-old was also charged in connection with the wildfire. AP So far, only Kling and an unidentified 17-year-old have been charged in connection with the Jones Road wildfire. The younger teen faces the same charges as Kling, including a hindering apprehension charge that was tacked on after the two allegedly lied to police and tried to pin the blame on Mexicans, prosecutors said. The fire reportedly started in an isolated area within the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust's Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area. It forced thousands to flee and was one of the largest wildfires recorded in the Garden State in recent years.
