Giant wildfire burns for third day in Ocean County, NJ – NBC10 Philadelphia

What to Know

• A large wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, has burned 1000’s of acres, at one level compelled 1000’s of evacuations, destroyed a enterprise and closed some roads. 
• The hearth started shortly earlier than 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, on the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Administration Space in Barnegat Township, Ocean County. 
• The hearth unfold to Lacey Township the place it destroyed a enterprise. It additionally unfold to Ocean Township, sending huge plumes of white smoke into the air that may very well be seen for miles round.
• As of Wednesday, April 23, at 10 p.m., the so-called Jones Street Wildfire had burned 13,250 acres, continued to threaten 12 constructions and was 50% contained.
• The hearth at one level closed a stretch of the Backyard State Parkway and brought on 1000’s of energy outages. As of early on Thursday, April 24, 2025, stretches of Bryant and Jones roads remained closed, whereas a stretch of Route 532 had reopened.
• The hearth additionally at one level compelled round 5,000 Lacey and Ocean Townships residents to evacuate. The evacuation order was lifted on Wednesday and folks have been in a position to return to their properties.
• On Thursday, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Workplace introduced arson expenses in opposition to 19-year-old Joseph Kling of Waretown. Investigators declare Kling set picket pallets on fireplace and left the realm earlier than the flames have been extinguished.
• Throughout a Wednesday information convention, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Safety Shawn LaTourette stated the hearth may find yourself being the most important within the state previously 20 years.