- A massive wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, has burned thousands of acres, at one point forced thousands of evacuations, destroyed a business and closed some roads.
- The fire began midday on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Barnegat Township, Ocean County.
- The fire spread to Lacey Township where it destroyed a business. It also spread to Ocean Township, sending massive plumes of white smoke into the air that could be seen for miles around.
- As of Thursday, April 24, at 10:20 a.m., the so-called Jones Road Wildfire had burned 15,000 acres, continued to threaten 8 structures and was still only 50% contained.
- The fire at one point closed a stretch of the Garden State Parkway and caused thousands of power outages. As of early on Thursday, April 24, 2025, stretches unimproved roads within the fire perimeter remained closed, while a stretch of Route 532 had reopened.
- The fire also at one point forced around 5,000 Lacey and Ocean Townships residents to evacuate. The evacuation order was lifted on Wednesday and people were able to return to their homes.
- On Thursday, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced arson charges against 19-year-old Joseph Kling of Waretown. Investigators claim Kling set wooden pallets on fire and left the area before the flames were extinguished.
- During a Wednesday news conference, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn LaTourette said the fire could end up being the largest in the state in the past 20 years.
A wildfire that officials say could end up being the largest in New Jersey in the past 20 years continues to burn in Ocean County for a third day on April 25, 2025. As of late Thursday morning the fire had grown to 15,000 acres.
A 19-year-old Ocean County man faces arson charges after prosecutors say Joseph Kling lit wooden pallets on fire Tuesday then left the scene before extinguishing the flames.
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