New Jersey Wildfire: How drought & wind made fire more dangerous

The Jones Road Wildfire continues to burn through Ocean County, New Jersey, as the state faces a prolonged drought. The fire, which began Tuesday morning in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area near Barnegat Township, has already scorched over 8,500 acres—surpassing the state’s annual average of 7,000 acres burned.

Wildfire scorches drought-hit New Jersey

New Jersey is currently under an official drought warning. State officials said in a news release last month that precipitation levels have been well below average throughout the winter. Dry conditions, combined with strong winds, have created dangerous fire weather across the region.

On Tuesday afternoon, wind gusts reached 15 to 25 mph, fueling the rapid spread of the fire. Though winds are expected to weaken overnight, they played a major role in pushing the flames toward neighborhoods and major highways earlier in the day. Forecasters predict dry conditions will continue, but winds will ease to 5 to 10 mph through the rest of the week.

This is not the first time the state has dealt with a large wildfire. In November, the Jennings Creek Fire burned several thousand acres in parts of New Jersey and New York, drawing a coordinated response from both states. While wildfires are less frequent in this region compared to the western U.S., they are not rare.

Wildfire grows, thousands evacuated statewide

As of Tuesday night, the Jones Road Wildfire is only 10 percent contained. Around 3,000 residents have been evacuated as the fire threatens more than 1,300 homes and buildings. Multiple shelters have opened for evacuees, and voluntary evacuations are in place across Barnegat Township.

Parts of Highways 532, 539, 72, and 9 are closed. A five-mile stretch of the Garden State Parkway between exits 69 and 74 also remains shut down. The parkway closure was longer earlier in the day and may be extended again, depending on fire conditions.

Photos and videos show dark smoke covering roadways and flames approaching homes and industrial sites. Ash and smoke have spread to areas including Toms River and Seaside Heights.

Over 25,000 people are without power after utility crews cut electricity to protect firefighters in the area. Damage to power lines and transformers may delay full restoration.

Emergency crews from across New Jersey are battling the flames using ground teams, bulldozers, helicopters, and water tankers. Firefighters are conducting backfiring operations to slow the blaze.

Power cut, outages may linger

Power outages have affected over 25,000 people in Ocean County. Jersey Central Power & Light cut electricity along the parkway to keep fire crews safe. Barnegat Police say outages could last due to damage to lines and transformers. Residents have been advised to prepare for extended disruptions.

Smoke and ash have reached communities as far north as Toms River and as far east as Seaside Heights, darkening the sky and blanketing neighborhoods near the coast.

Firefighting teams from across the state are on the ground, working to contain the blaze. Crews are using fire engines, bulldozers, helicopters, and water tankers in an effort to slow the fire’s advance. Aerial drops of water and backfiring operations are underway.

The fire is burning through large wooded areas near densely populated neighborhoods along the Jersey Shore. As of Tuesday night, no injuries have been reported.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said the cause of the fire is still under investigation. With dry weather and wind gusts continuing, officials say the danger isn’t over yet.

Authorities urge all nearby residents to stay alert, follow evacuation notices, and avoid the area if not directly affected. The situation remains fluid, and fire conditions could change quickly overnight.

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