A rapidly spreading wildfire, dubbed the “Jones Wildfire,” erupted in Barnegat Township, Ocean County, on Tuesday afternoon, consuming 3,200 acres in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area as of Tuesday night and prompting mandatory evacuations, road closures, and the shutdown of a significant portion of the Garden State Parkway. As of 10:30 p.m., the blaze was just 5% contained, threatening thousands of structures, displacing thousands of residents, and casting thick smoke across the Jersey Shore region.

The Garden State Parkway, a major artery along the Jersey Shore, was closed in both directions between Exit 63 in Stafford Township and Exit 80 in South Toms River before being partially reopened. Numerous local roads were also shut down to facilitate firefighting efforts and ensure public safety.

The fire, first reported around 10:15 a.m. near Jones Road, initially covered just 5 acres but exploded in size due to dry conditions and shifting winds, reaching 150 acres by early afternoon and 3,200 acres by evening. The Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, spanning Barnegat, Berkeley, Lacey, Manchester, Waretown, and Woodland townships, is a densely forested region with significant wildland fire risk, making containment efforts challenging.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents along Wells Mills Road (Route 532) from Bryant Road to the Garden State Parkway in Ocean Township, with a temporary shelter established at Waretown Methodist Church. The Barnegat Township Police Department expanded evacuations to include neighborhoods such as Windward, Mirage, Pheasant Run, Heritage Point North, Brookville, and all homes on West Bay Avenue. In Lacey Township, a mandatory evacuation was issued for the southern section of Barnegat Pines south of Lakeside Drive South, while Pheasant Run residents were urged to evacuate voluntarily.

Smoke and ash from the fire have been reported as far north as Lakewood and Jackson, with visibility impacted across Ocean and Burlington counties. No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has deployed an extensive response to combat the blaze, including fire engines, bulldozers, and ground crews. Aerial support includes a helicopter capable of dropping 300 gallons of water, an observation helicopter, and a contract air tanker that can release 600 gallons of water per drop. Backfiring operations, a controlled burning technique to deprive the wildfire of fuel, are underway to help contain the flames. Multiple Ocean County municipalities, including Lakewood, have sent emergency personnel to assist. Chaveirim of Central Jersey has deployed equipment to the staging area to assist emergency crews.

The fire’s rapid growth has been exacerbated by abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions in Ocean County, with nearly 80% of New Jersey facing some level of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The Pine Barrens’ unique ecosystem, which dries out quickly even after rainfall, adds to the complexity of firefighting efforts.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC / With reporting Via Lakewood Alerts)