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New Jersey wildfire could become state's largest in about 20 years
Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency beginning at 7 a.m. on April 23
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Reuters1 - Wed, 23, Apr 2025
- 14:47 EDT
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Firefighters work during a wildfire outbreak, in Forked River, in the Ocean County region of New Jersey, U.S., April 23, 2025. / REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz
A sprawling wildfire burning in New Jersey's Pinelands near Atlantic Ocean beach towns could become the largest in the state in about 20 years, having already consumed some 11,500 acres, officials said on April 23.
The Jones Road Wildfire had spread to 11,500 acres in less than 24 hours as of 10 a.m. on April 23 and was 30 percent contained, the New Jersey Fire Service said in a post on X. It was no longer threatening populated areas.
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The blaze could become the largest in New Jersey in about 20 years, said Shawn LaTourette, the state's commissioner of environmental protection, at a press conference. A fire in May 2007 in the same area consumed 17,000 acres.
Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency beginning at 7 a.m. on April 23; Governor Phil Murphy is on an overseas trip.
"At this time, we have no loss of life and no homes have been harmed," Way said on X on April 23 morning.
So far in 2025, New Jersey has experienced nearly twice as many wildfires as usual, with 662 wildfires burning 16,572 acres. That compares with about 310 wildfires burning 315 acres last year, state Forest Fire Service Chief Bill Donnelly said at the briefing.
On average, 1,500 wildfires damage or destroy 7,000 acres of the state's forests each year, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said on its website.
The blaze started on April 22 in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area near Lacey, Ocean and Barnegat townships in Ocean County, about halfway between Asbury Park and Atlantic City. The area, with a combined population of about 64,000 residents, is about 15 miles inland from the Atlantic Ocean shoreline.
About 1,300 homes were forced to evacuate on April 22, but the evacuation orders were lifted by April 23 morning. In addition, a stretch of the Garden State Parkway, a major north-south highway, was closed on April 22 but reopened April 23 morning.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, and there is no timeline for full containment.
The fire is expected to continue to burn for several days until rain comes on April 25 or April 26, New Jersey fire officials said at the briefing.
About 25,000 residents remain without power, according to the Jersey Central Power & Light, which is owned by FirstEnergy.
Embers from the fire sparked several small blazes near a de-commissioned nuclear power plant known as Oyster Creek, according to state officials. The plant, owned by Holtec International, shut down in 2018.
(This story has been corrected to say 'about 20 years,' not '20 years' in the headline and paragraph 1. It also corrects date of previous fire to 2007, not 2005, in paragraph 3)
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