LATEST UPDATES: Ocean County Wildfire

***4/28 - 2pm UPDATE*** (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): This will be the FINAL update for this incident unless significant developments occur. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service achieved 75% containment of a 15,300-acre wildfire burning in the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust’s Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area. The fire was initially spotted from the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower at 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday, April 22. On the evening of April 22 the wildfire crossed the Garden State Parkway, triggering the evacuation of approximately 5,000 residents in Ocean and Lacey townships. Additionally, Route 9 and Route 532 (Wells Mills Road) were closed early on in the firefight. One commercial building was destroyed in the fire, along with multiple outbuildings and vehicles throughout the fire area. A complete damage assessment is ongoing. A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office and New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office determined cause of the fire to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire. A Waretown man was charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection with Jones Road Wildfire. Forest Fire Service crews will remain on scene for the next several days to continue to improve containment lines and address areas of concern until significant precipitation occurs to ensure public safety. The Forest Fire Service continues to receive assistance from the New Jersey Army National Guard who provided two UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters which are capable of dropping 660 gallons of water each. Smoke is expected to remain present until significant rain falls over the fire area. Visitors to the area should exercise caution, as trees within the fire area may be weakened.

***4/28 - 9am UPDATE*** (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): The wildfires have consumed 15,300 acres and are 65% contained. Precipitation received over the weekend over the northern portion of the fire varied in amounts. 0.00” to a trace of rainfall fell over the southern portion of the fire on Sunday. Crews are currently mopping up hotspots and patrolling the fire perimeter. STRUCTURES THREATENED: 4 structures threatened.

***4/25 - 1pm UPDATE*** (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): The wildfires have consumed 15,300 acres and are 60% contained. STRUCTURES THREATENED: 4 structures threatened. PROPERTY DAMAGE: 1 commercial building destroyed, Multiple outbuildings and vehicles destroyed. ROADS AFFECTED: Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) has reopened, Garden State Parkway has reopened, Unimproved roadways within the fire perimeter remain closed.

***4/24 - 10am UPDATE*** (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): The wildfires have consumed 15,000 acres and are 50% contained. ROADS AFFECTED: Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) has reopened, Garden State Parkway has reopened, unimproved roadways within the fire perimeter remain closed. STRUCTURES THREATENED: 12 structures threatened. FIRE CAUSE: A Waretown man has been charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection with Jones Road Wildfire. Learn more by clicking here.

***4/24 - 9am UPDATE*** JOINT STATEMENT - WARETOWN MAN CHARGED WITH AGGRAVATED ARSON AND ARSON IN CONNECTION WITH JONES ROAD WILDFIRE. Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer and New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced that on April 23, 2025, Joseph Kling, 19, of Ocean Township (Waretown), was charged with Aggravated Arson and Arson in connection with a wildfire that started in Waretown on April 22, 2025, and continued to spread throughout the southern Ocean County area. A thorough and extensive investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Squad, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office, plotted the origin of the fire via Global Positioning System (GPS). The cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire. Further investigation has revealed that Kling was the individual responsible for setting wooden pallets on fire - and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished. Kling was taken into custody at Ocean Township (Waretown) Police Headquarters; he was thereafter transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing. The charges referenced above are merely accusations and the press and public are reminded that all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
R.P.C. 3.6(b)(6).

***4/24 - 8am UPDATE*** (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): The wildfires have consumed 13,250 acres and are 40% contained. ROADS AFFECTED: Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) has reopened, Bryant Road is closed between Wells Mills Road (Rt. 532) and Rt. 539, Jones Road is closed between Rt. 532 and Bryant Road. STRUCTURES THREATENED: 12 structures threatened

***4/23 - 4pm UPDATE*** Final in-person press conference of the day (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): The wildfires have consumed 12,500 acres and are 40% contained.

***4/23 - 2:30pm UPDATE*** (via JCP&L): JCP&L crews continue wildfire-related inspections and have begun restoring power to customers. Additional crews from throughout Central NJ are assisting with this process and about 18,700 customers are currently remaining without service. Safety remains our top priority. All restoration activities are dependent on the safety of the fire crews on the ground, our crews in the area and the public at large. We estimate restoring power to the remaining customers by late this afternoon/early evening. They will continue to provide updates on restoration timing on the map by clicking here. If you are not signed up to receive outage text alerts, please text REG to 544487.

***4/23 - 1pm UPDATE*** (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): The wildfires have consumed 12,000 acres and are 35% contained. STRUCTURES THREATENED: 20 structures threatened. Evacuations are 100% lifted for the approximately 5,000 residents evacuated on April 22 in Lacey and Ocean Townships. PROPERTY DAMAGE: 1 commercial building destroyed, multiple outbuilding and vehicles destroyed, a complete damage assessment is underway. ROADS AFFECTED: Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) between Rt. 72 and the Garden State Parkway, Bryant Road is closed between Wells Mills Road (Rt. 532) and Rt. 539, Jones Road is closed between Rt. 532 and Bryant Road, Garden State Parkway and Route 9 are REOPENED in both travel directions.

***4/23 - 11am UPDATE*** (via New Jersey Forest Fire Service): The wildfires have consumed 11,500 acres and are 30% contained. STRUCTURES THREATENED: 20 structures are threatened, 0 structures are evacuated. Evacuations are 100% lifted for the approximately 5,000 residents evacuated on April 22 in Lacey and Ocean Townships. PROPERTY DAMAGE: 1 commercial building destroyed, multiple outbuilding and vehicles destroyed, a complete damage assessment is underway. ROADS AFFECTED: Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) between Rt. 72 and the Garden State Parkway, Bryant Road is closed between Wells Mills Road (Rt. 532) and Rt. 539, Jones Road is closed between Rt. 532 and Bryant Road, Garden State Parkway and Route 9 are REOPENED in both travel directions.

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A massive wildfire in Ocean County has burned thousands of acres, forced thousands of evacuations and closed several roads. The fire began shortly before 12:30 pm on Tuesday, April 22, at the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Barnegat Township. The fire spread to Lacey Township and Ocean Township, sending massive plumes of white smoke into the air.

As of Wednesday, April 23rd at 9am, the "Jones Wildfire" burned 8,500 acres, threatened 1,320 structures, forced 3,000 evacuations in Ocean and Lacey townships, caused thousands of power outages, and shut down multiple roadways, including a stretch of the Garden State Parkway, leading to a traffic nightmare.

Shelters for the evacuees were created at Southern Regional High School on 105 Cedar Bridge Road in Manahawkin and Manchester Township High School at 101 Hawks Way in Manchester.

Multiple resources were deployed to fight the fire, including local, county and state fire services. No injuries have been reported. As of late Tuesday night, the fire was 10% contained. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Lt. Governor Tahesha Way released the following statement: “Yesterday, our State Forest Fire Service informed us of a wildfire in Ocean Township, Ocean County. Due to its accelerated growth, with an estimated burn of 8,500 acres, threatening more than 1,000 structures, requiring the evacuation of residents in the area, and the loss of power to over 25,000 residents, I am declaring a State of Emergency for Ocean County. I encourage all residents in the County to continue to monitor the proper channels, and to use caution and follow all safety protocols.”