New Jersey wildfire swells to 11,500 acres, could become biggest in 2 decades

Frank Kummer, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Apr 23, 2025

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A forest wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, just miles from the Shore had ballooned to 11,500 acres as of Wednesday morning and was still spreading, according to state officials.

The fire could become New Jersey’s largest in 20 years, Shawn LaTourette, the commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection, said at a news conference.

“There’s a lot of work to do,” LaTourette said. “The wildfire stands at about 11,500 acres and 30% containment. We fully expect that number will grow.”

A 17,000-acre wildfire burned 19 years ago in the same general area.

Officials project the fire will grow to about 15,410 acres before it is contained.

Drought conditions that began in the late summer and fall have “influenced” the fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, LaTourette said. Though recent rains have helped, Ocean County remains abnormally dry during what is now peak wildfire season in New Jersey.

LaTourette said he’s “hopeful” that the fire can remain away from people, “but I’m not going to tell you there’s no chance because wildfires are risky.”

Conditions will remain favorable for fires for the next few days, officials said, as humidity remains low, temperatures are up, and breezes are steady.

No injuries have been reported. But about 5,000 people in Lacey and Ocean Townships had to be evacuated. They have since been allowed to return home.

At least one commercial building had been destroyed, as well as some vehicles.

The fire began over 10 to 20 acres in Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area before spreading rapidly.

As of Wednesday, the blazes had drifted away from homes and toward the wilderness of the Pinelands, partly as a result of winds and the backburning firefighters used to control and direct fire.

The heavily used Garden State Parkway and Route 9 have reopened after having been closed Tuesday because of what’s been dubbed the Jones Road Fire.

About 1,320 buildings had been threatened by the blaze, but that dropped to 20 by Wednesday.

Although 25,000 customers of Jersey Central Power & Light lost power, a company spokesperson said power would begin to be restored Wednesday.

Acting Gov. Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency in response to the fire. The declaration authorizes officials to implement emergency plans, coordinate recovery efforts, reroute traffic, and muster resources. Way is New Jersey’s lieutenant governor and serves as acting governor when Gov. Phil Murphy is unavailable.

The Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, managed by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife, spans a heavily wooded 32,253 acres in the Pinelands and is bordered by housing developments.

The fire broke out near Jones Road, about six miles west of Forked River on the New Jersey coast.

The wildlife management area is the largest tract of land preserved by the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. Most of it is dominated by pine and oak trees on higher ground, and pines and Atlantic white cedar bogs in the lowlands.

It contains the headwaters of Cedar Creek as well as numerous wildlife, such as the barred owl, a threatened species.

Because of the dry conditions, it’s been a busy season for wildfires.

Bill Donnelly, chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, said that there have been 662 wildfires that have burned 16,572 acres so far this year. That compares to 310 wildfires and 315 acres burned during the same time last year.