Latest news with #ForestFireService
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Yahoo
Second teen arrested in connection with one of the largest wildfires in New Jersey history
OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. — A second teen has been arrested and charged with arson, accused of helping set fire to the wooden pallets that Ocean County, New Jersey prosecutors say sparked the Jones Road Fire – one of the largest wildfires in the state's history. County prosecutors charged a 17-year-old boy with aggravated arson. As a minor, his name has not been released. The Jones Road Fire began on April 22 and scorched 15,300 acres, destroying several outbuildings and a commercial building, according to New Jersey's Forest Fire Service. The fire is currently 75% contained. What's The Difference Between A 'Controlled' Fire And A 'Contained' Fire? In a news release, prosecutors accused the 17-year-old of helping 19-year-old Joseph Kling of Waretown, New Jersey. Kling was arrested on April 23 for allegedly setting wood pallets on fire in a county wilderness area and leaving the scene without properly putting out the fire. Prosecutors said investigators used GPS to pinpoint the start of the fire and determined that it was caused by "an improperly extinguished bonfire." The Jones Road Fire prompted at least 5,000 people to be evacuated and shut down part of the Garden State Parkway, one of New Jersey's busiest highways, at the height of the flames. The fire was fueled by strong gusty winds and low humidity. The U.S. Drought Monitor showed that large parts of New Jersey remain in abnormally dry or moderate drought conditions. New Jersey Wildfire: Dramatic Videos, Photos Reveal Fearsome Nature Of Fast-moving Flames Kling is being held in county jail pending a detention hearing. The 17-year-old is the county's juvenile detention center. The 17-year-old is also facing charges of arson and hindering article source: Second teen arrested in connection with one of the largest wildfires in New Jersey history
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
19-year-old charged with arson in NJ wildfire: Officials
OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. (WPIX) – A 19-year-old was charged with arson in connection with the wildfire that's ravaging parts of New Jersey, the Forest Fire Service announced Thursday. Officials said Joseph Kling was accused of improperly extinguishing a bonfire that caused the Jones Road Wildfire to spark on Tuesday. Kling, of Waretown, New Jersey, allegedly set wooden pallets on fire and left the area before they were put out, according to officials. The wildfire has scorched around 15,000 acres in Ocean County, the Forest Fire Service said in a Facebook post. It was roughly 50% contained as of Wednesday evening. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate on Tuesday, but were later allowed to go back to their homes. More than 25,000 customers suffered sweeping power outages on Wednesday as firefighters battled the flames, but it was later turned back on, officials said. Wildfire grows to 8,500 acres in New Jersey, thousands forced to evacuate Kling is facing charges of aggravated arson and arson, according to officials. He's being held in Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing. Higher-than-normal pollution levels were expected Thursday in New York City, Rockland and Westchester counties, and in Long Island's Nassau and Suffolk counties, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation advised Wednesday. The fire is roughly 54 miles south of New York City. It said 'going indoors may reduce exposure' to problems such as eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing, sneezing and shortness of breath. The fire in the southern part of New Jersey could continue to burn for days before rain later this week, officials said. No one has been injured so far in the blaze. A single commercial building and some vehicles were destroyed in the fire, while 12 structures remained threatened Wednesday evening. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man charged with arson in connection to NJ wildfire: officials
OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. (PIX11) – A man was charged with arson in connection to the wildfire that's ravaging parts of New Jersey, the Forest Fire Service announced on Thursday. Officials said 19-year-old Joseph Kling was accused of improperly extinguishing a bonfire that caused the Jones Road Wildfire to spark on Tuesday. Kling, of Waretown, allegedly set wooden pallets on fire and left the area before they were put out, according to officials. More Local News The wildfire has scorched around 15,000 acres in Ocean County, the Forest Fire Service said in a Facebook post. It was roughly 50% contained as of Wednesday evening. Thousands of residents were forced to evacuate on Tuesday, but were later allowed to go back to their homes. More than 25,000 customers suffered sweeping power outages on Wednesday as firefighters battled the flames, but it was later turned back on, officials said. Kling is facing charges of aggravated arson and arson, according to officials. He's being held in Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing. This is a developing story. Please refresh the page for updates. Erin Pflaumer is a digital content producer from Long Island who has covered both local and national news since 2018. She joined PIX11 in 2023. See more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
24-04-2025
- Climate
- New York Times
Smoke From New Jersey Wildfire Could Blanket New York City
Much of the New York City region was under an air quality advisory on Thursday morning as smoke from one of New Jersey's largest wildfires in two decades made its way north. The fire, which has been burning in Ocean County since Tuesday morning, has grown to 13,250 acres, mostly in the heavily forested Pine Barrens. Earlier this week the fire forced officials to shut down the Garden State Parkway miles and prompted the temporary evacuation of thousands of people in Ocean and Lacey Townships, the state's Forest Fire Service said. Smoke from the fires spread over a large portion of New Jersey on Tuesday and Wednesday, prompting warnings about the air quality and at times irritating peoples' eyes and making it difficult to breathe. By Thursday, the smoke had spread to the north, prompting an air quality health advisory that was in effect through the end of the day for New York City, as well as Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland Counties. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation warned that the air quality index, a measure of pollutants, was likely to reach above 100, which means the air is unhealthy for sensitive groups like very young people or those with asthma or other respiratory problems. By 5 a.m., the air quality index for the New York City region had reached 83, while Long Island was at 33. Newark was at 80 and Philadelphia at 77. Southwesterly winds on Thursday afternoon were expected to spread the wildfire smoke toward Long Island. 'New York and Long Island, especially Long Island and the boroughs in New York are most at risk today,' said Brian Hurley, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center. 'Also southern parts of upstate New York, south of Albany and southern Poughkeepsie, but it's really confined to the metro region.' By Friday the smoke is expected to thin and clear, as stronger winds develop and rain spreads to the region later in the day. There have been no injuries and no homes were damaged as the fire has spread west through the mostly forested area of the Pine Barrens, part of a containment strategy meant to protect homes closer to the coast. On Wednesday, the authorities said they expected the fire to grow even as efforts to contain it gained ground. Fire authorities said the blaze may become one of the largest wildfires in the state since 2007, when a flare dropped by an F-16 fighter jet ignited a fire that ultimately consumed 17,000 acres. The cause of this fire is still under investigation. Much of the state was at elevated risk for wildfires this week, and by Wednesday the entire state was under a 'high' rating, the middle point of a five-point scale that the state uses. Fuel like dry grass that would help any fire spread more easily has been especially dry, as the southern part of the state remains in drought conditions. Rain toward the end of the week is expected to give firefighters a helping hand in bringing the fire more under control. 'There's going to be slight chance of rain later Friday and into Saturday,' Mr. Hurley said. 'Saturday is going to be the day with the best chance of rain. So that will definitely help.'
NDTV
24-04-2025
- Climate
- NDTV
New Jersey Wildfire Burns 11,500 Acres, Could Be State's Largest In 20 Years
New Jersey, US: A sprawling wildfire burning in New Jersey's Pinelands near Atlantic Ocean beach towns could become the largest in the state in 20 years, having already consumed some 11,500 acres, officials said on Wednesday. The Jones Road Wildfire had spread to 11,500 acres in less than 24 hours as of 10 a.m. on Wednesday and was 30 per cent contained, the New Jersey Fire Service said in a post on X. It was no longer threatening populated areas. WILDFIRE UPDATE: Jones Road Wildfire - Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County New Jersey Forest Fire Service continues to make progress containing a wildfire burning in Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County. SIZE & CONTAINMENT 🔥 13,250 acres 🔥 50% contained — New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) April 23, 2025 The blaze could become the largest in New Jersey in 20 years, said Shawn LaTourette, the state's commissioner of environmental protection, at a press conference. A fire in 2005 in the same area consumed 17,000 acres. Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency beginning at 7 a.m. on Wednesday; 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 Wednesday 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 Tuesday 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 Tuesday, but the evacuation orders were lifted by Wednesday morning. In addition, a stretch of the Garden State Parkway, a major north-south highway, was closed on Tuesday but reopened Wednesday 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 Friday or Saturday, 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.
