A fast-moving wildfire that broke out Tuesday in Ocean County, New Jersey, has grown to over 12,000 acres, forced the closure of a major highway, threatened more than 1,000 homes and sent thousands of residents scrambling to safety.
Dubbed the Jones Road Fire, the blaze was 35% contained as of Wednesday afternoon, officials with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported. But with dry underbrush and low humidity fueling its spread, state environmental regulators warned that it could become the largest wildfire New Jersey has seen in two decades.
“Thanks to the courageous, heroic efforts of our New Jersey Forest Fire Service personnel, lives and properties have been spared, and a potentially catastrophic disaster was averted,” said Shawn LaTourette, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection.
Wildfires RAGE across New Jersey
Three thousand residents in New Jersey have been evacuated due to a wildfire that has spread across approximately 1,300 hectares. 25,000 people have lost power pic.twitter.com/wCJTy4hBQu
— ℂ𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕦𝕖𝕧𝕒𝕣𝕒 ★ (@cheguwera) April 23, 2025
No injuries have been reported so far, LaTourette confirmed.
– Rapid Growth Overnight
The fire was first spotted at around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday from the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower near Barnegat Township. Initial estimates put the size of the blaze at just 10 to 20 acres, said Trevor Raynor of the Forest Fire Service. Crews immediately dispatched engines, water-dropping aircraft and ground crews, but by nightfall the fire had exploded to approximately 8,500 acres.
By Wednesday morning, air- and ground-based crews were racing to hold its perimeter. Officials said nearly 100 firefighters were on the lines, supported by helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft dropping retardant and water.
– Evacuations and Highway Closure
Acting Governor and Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency in Ocean County Wednesday, unlocking additional resources to fight the Jones Road Fire.
Mandatory evacuation orders covered parts of Ocean and Lacey townships, and more than 5,000 residents had either been forced out of their homes or left voluntarily.
“It was kind of surreal,” recalled evacuee Michael Ferrara, describing Tuesday evening’s decision to flee. “The smoke, the flames—it was bearing down on our neighborhood. You think, ‘What do I grab?’ I kept asking myself, ‘Birth certificates, passports…?’”
Meanwhile, the fire’s path crossed the Garden State Parkway, one of New Jersey’s busiest arteries. Officials temporarily shut down the roadway after flames jumped the median, snarling traffic for miles.
Kelly Mendoza, another local resident, said ash blanketed her property. “Smoke was billowing; everything was covered in black,” she said.
– Threatened Structures and Infrastructure Impacts:
At its height, more than 1,000 structures were under threat, LaTourette said. Though cooler, more humid conditions are expected later in the week—with a chance of rain by Friday night—electric utilities already reported forced outages affecting at least 25,000 customers.
State Fire Service Chief Bill Donnelly stressed that drought conditions across southern New Jersey have created a tinderbox this spring. To date in 2025, the state has seen 662 wildfires scorching over 16,500 acres—a dramatic jump from the same period last year, when 310 fires burned just 315 acres statewide.
– Containment and Next Steps
Officials now believe they can fully contain the Jones Road Fire by the weekend, assuming no sudden changes in the weather. Winds, which gusted up to 20 mph from the north Wednesday morning, are forecast to lighten, allowing crews to strengthen control lines.
Firefighters have already lifted several evacuation orders but urged residents to remain vigilant. “We are making real progress, but this fire remains dangerous,” Donnelly said.
For many forced to flee, the uncertainty lingers. “I just hope my home is still here when this is over,” one distraught evacuee told ABC News.
As New Jersey’s fire season intensifies, local and state agencies are reminding homeowners in vulnerable areas to create defensible space around their properties and stay prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
What to Know:
Size: 12,000+ acres, 35% contained, Evacuations: 5,000+ residents, Structures threatened: 1,000+, Response: ~100 firefighters, aircraft support, Highway: Garden State Parkway temporarily closed, Power outages: 25,000+ customers, Weather: Winds easing, rain possible Friday night
