Crews in Ocean County, New Jersey, are making progress containing a wildfire. Here’s the latest.
WARETOWN, N.J. (WPVI) — A man has been charged with arson in connection with the Jones Roads Wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey.
Joseph Kling, 19, of Ocean Township, is facing aggravated arson and arson charges in connection with the wildfire that started on Tuesday and continues to spread throughout parts of Ocean County, according to the county prosecutor’s office.
Investigators say they were able to pinpoint the origin of the fire by using GPS, and that the cause was an improperly extinguished bonfire.
Kling is accused of setting wooden pallets on fire before leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished.
He was taken into custody at the Ocean Township (Waretown) Police Headquarters and has since been taken to the Ocean County Jail where he is waiting for a detention hearing.
As of Thursday morning, officials say the fire has burned approximately 15,000 acres in Waretown and Lacey Townships, and has destroyed a commercial building.
Acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way declared a State of Emergency in response to the blaze.
Officials said this could end up being the largest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years.
The Jones Road Wildfire was detected by the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower around 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday at the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Barnegat Township. By the evening, the flames spread into both Ocean and Lacey townships in the county.
According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, 5,000 residents were forced to evacuate Tuesday night.
As of 6:30 a.m. On Wednesday, all evacuation orders were lifted. Residents can return home but are advised to use caution when traveling as heavy smoke remains in the area.
A raging wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, consumed thousands of acres Tuesday night, forcing residents to flee from their homes.
The blaze also forced power outages after Jersey Central Power & Light de-energized all lines in and out of our Oyster Creek substation at the request of the Forest Fire Service. However, 5 p.m. Wednesday, that power has been restored to all customers.
It has also closed several roads in the area, including:
- 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
Chopper 6: Crews battling raging wildfire in Ocean County
So far in 2025, New Jersey is at 662 wildfires with 16,572 acres burned.
The blaze is the second major forest fire in the region in less than a week. The Vineland Wildfire in Cumberland County stands at 1,327 acres burned and is 80% contained, fire officials said during Wednesday’s 11 a.m. update
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