A massive nj wildfire that erupted Tuesday afternoon in Barnegat Township has grown to 12,500 acres but is now 40% contained, fire officials announced Wednesday at 4 p.m. The blaze—dubbed the “Jones Road Wildfire”—is one of the largest new jersey fires in two decades, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate at its height before orders were lifted without any injuries or damaged homes reported.
The fire was first spotted shortly before 12:30 p.m. on April 22 in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area. Fierce winds and dry conditions helped the flames spread rapidly into neighboring Lacey Township and Ocean Township, sending towering white plumes of smoke across Ocean County NJ.
Evacuations, Road Closures, and Threatened Structures
Officials deployed local, county, and state fire services to battle the inferno. By Wednesday afternoon:
- Evacuations: Approximately 5,000 residents of Ocean and Lacey Townships ordered to leave their homes. Orders lifted after containment improved, and evacuation shelters at St. Mary’s Parish Center and Manchester High School closed.
- Road Closures:
- Garden State Parkway and Route 9 reopened in both directions.
- Route 532 (Wells Mills Road) remains closed between Route 72 and the Parkway.
- Bryant Road closed between Route 532 and Route 539.
- Jones Road closed between Route 532 and Bryant Road.
- Threatened Assets: Firefighters worked to protect 18 structures; so far, a commercial building, several outbuildings, and vehicles lost.
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Support Services and Community Response
While firefighters advanced containment lines, community and corporate partners stepped in to help residents and first responders:
- Comcast Hotspots: The company activated 10,000 free WiFi hotspots across Ocean County, open to all users for two-hour sessions, to ensure connectivity for evacuation updates and emergency communications.
- Device Charging Stations: Affected residents were offered device-charging services at local Xfinity stores.
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Officials Warn of Historic Scale
At a late Wednesday morning press briefing, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn LaTourette cautioned that the new jersey wildfire might become the state’s largest in 20 years. He praised the rapid multi-agency response that harnessed aerial water drops and fire lines to slow the blaze’s advance.
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What Comes Next
- Containment Goals: Fire crews aim to reach 60% containment by Friday, focusing on the southern flank in Barnegat NJ and dense pine stands near the Garden State Parkway.
- Investigation: The cause remains under review by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
- Public Updates: The Forest Fire Service will host its final in-person press conference Wednesday afternoon at Wells Mills County Park (905 Wells Mills Road, Waretown). Ongoing updates will be on their Facebook page and X.
As residents return home and investigators comb for the fire’s origin, the Ocean County fire stands as a stark reminder of New Jersey’s vulnerability to wildfires—and the importance of coordinated emergency response and community support.
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