OCEAN TWP., N.J. (WPVI) — A raging wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, consumed 1000’s of acres Tuesday night time, forcing some residents to flee their properties.
Chopper 6 overhead as NJ wildfire grows to three,200 acres on April 22, 2025.
What we all know in regards to the fireplace
The wildfire was reported Tuesday afternoon on the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Administration Space in Barnegat Township. By the night, the flames unfold into each Ocean and Lacey townships within the county.
In an replace simply earlier than 11 p.m., the New Jersey Forest Fireplace Service stated the blaze grew to eight,500 acres with 10% containment.
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Chopper 6 was overhead as crews fought the inferno, because the smoky haze introduced a stretch of the Backyard State Parkway, one in every of New Jersey’s busiest highways, to a halt.
Officers stated roughly 1,320 buildings are being threatened and that injury assessments have been nonetheless underway in different areas.
A press convention on the hearth is scheduled for Wednesday morning.
Chopper 6: Crews battling raging wildfire in Ocean County
Evacuations
In keeping with the New Jersey Forest Fireplace Service, 3,000 residents have evacuated.
As of 1 a.m. Wednesday, the next evacuation notices stay in place:
In Ocean Township, officers say residents on Wells Mills Street from Bryant Street to the Backyard State Parkway have been requested to go away the world.
The Lacey Township Police Division additionally issued an evacuation for residents in South Barnegat Pines south of Lakeside Drive South (together with Pheasant Run), these close to Seaside Boulevard, the world from Route 9 to the Lacey Elks, the entire areas in between Route 9 and the Lacey Elks (Clune Park, Orlando Drive, Sandy Hook Dr., Clubhouse Drive, and all roads in between.
Debbie Schaffer, of Waretown, was a type of who needed to go away.
“It is just a little scary… like I did not have an emergency bag packed, so I used to be form of strolling in circles figuring out I needed to get out of there, however making an attempt to suppose, ‘What do I would like,'” she recalled.
PICTURED: Tyler Granato, of Forked River, NJ, captured this picture from a house as smoke from a close-by wildfire raged on within the distance.
In Barnegat Township, police say Pheasant Run Barnegat is beneath voluntary evacuation. A shelter has opened at Southern Regional Excessive College, and pets are welcome.
“As the hearth continues north, there isn’t any speedy menace to Barnegat Township. Nevertheless, we ask you to be ready in case of a change in route,” Barnegat police stated on Fb.
There may be additionally a shelter open on the Manchester Township Excessive College on Hawks Approach in Manchester.
Energy outages
Barnegat Township police say Jersey Central Energy & Gentle de-energized all strains out and in of our Oyster Creek substation on the request of the Forest Fireplace Service.
Roughly 25,000 JCP&L prospects are affected by this compelled outage, JCP&L stated in an announcement.
“We’ll work to revive energy to prospects as we’re safely ready, together with by way of tying areas to neighboring strains the place secure and potential,” the assertion continued.
There was no speedy phrase on when energy was anticipated to return.
Closures on the Parkway
The southbound lanes of the Parkway have been reopened between interchanges 69 and 63, and the northbound Parkway has reopened between interchanges 74 and 80.
Different closures stay in place till additional discover, together with the next:
- Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Street) between Rt. 72 and the Backyard State Parkway
- Bryant Street is closed between Wells Mills Street (Rt. 532) and Rt. 539
- Jones Street is closed between Rt. 532 and Bryant Street
- Backyard State Parkway is closed between Barnegat Street and Lacey Street
- Closures on Rt. 9 from Lakeside Drive to Rt. 532 (each instructions)
- Closures on secondary and tertiary roadways
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No accidents have been reported.
The reason for the hearth remains to be beneath investigation.
The positioning of the hearth is close to an alpaca farm. The farm stated in a Fb submit that the property wasn’t threatened and the entire animals have been secure.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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