A large wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, has burned more than 8,500 acres of land and forced over 3,000 people to evacuate their homes, reported by Express Tribune. The fire started on Tuesday afternoon in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, located in Barnegat Township. Strong winds and dry conditions helped the fire spread quickly into nearby towns, including Lacey and Ocean Townships.
As of late Tuesday night, officials said the fire was only 10% contained. Firefighters are working around the clock to slow down the flames and protect homes, but the fire is still growing.
Several neighborhoods remain under evacuation orders. These include areas along Wells Mills Road from Bryant Road to the Garden State Parkway in Ocean Township, and parts of South Barnegat Pines in Lacey Township. In Barnegat, a voluntary evacuation was announced for the Pheasant Run neighborhood. Emergency shelters have been set up in local schools to help families who had to leave their homes.
More than 1,300 buildings are at risk, and as a safety measure, Jersey Central Power & Light shut off electricity for about 25,000 customers. Fire officials are still checking for damage in the affected areas.
The thick smoke from the fire has made driving dangerous. Portions of major highways like the Garden State Parkway, Route 9, and Route 532 have been closed. Luckily, no injuries have been reported so far.
Authorities say the area is under a “high” fire risk warning. They have also banned drones in the area, as they could interfere with firefighting aircraft.
This is the second major wildfire in New Jersey in less than a week, raising concerns about the increasing number of wildfires across the U.S. The cause of the current fire is still under investigation. Officials will hold a press conference on Wednesday morning to share the latest updates on the fire and evacuation efforts.
