New Jersey Wildfire Expands to 12,500 Acres, State of Emergency Issued – One America News Network
OAN Staff Abril Elfi
5:37 PM – Wednesday, April 23, 2025
A swiftly advancing wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey has ballooned to 12,500 acres since it started on Tuesday, resulting in mass evacuations, significant property damage, and the closure of a major roadway.
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The fire spread rapidly across the Greenwood Forest Management Area, located south of Toms River, fueled by dry conditions, strong winds, and highly flammable pine trees.
Initially sighted from the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower near Barnegat Township around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, the blaze started on only 10 to 20 acres.
As per the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, by Wednesday afternoon, the fire was reported to be 40% contained as of 4 p.m. ET. Officials expect full containment by the weekend, with approximately 100 firefighters deployed on both the ground and air. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner, Shawn LaTourette, remarked that this fire could potentially become the largest in the state in the last two decades and commended the firefighting efforts.
“Thanks to the extraordinary and heroic actions of our dedicated fire service, many homes and lives have been spared, preventing a major disaster,” he stated.
He also confirmed that, fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries.
Although conditions have somewhat improved, the fire still poses a threat to 18 structures along County Route 532, which remains closed. One commercial building has been lost, and several cabins and other structures have been damaged according to state officials.
Acting Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency in Ocean County on Wednesday morning, which enables greater resource allocation for firefighting efforts. Evacuations, both mandatory and voluntary, were ordered for over 5,000 residents as flames approached homes in Ocean and Lacey Townships.
A power outage linked to the fire left around 25,000 people without electricity.
Chief Bill Donnelly of the Forest Fire Service indicated that 2025 has already experienced 662 wildfires affecting over 16,500 acres—significantly surpassing last year’s statistics for the same timeframe, which included only 310 fires and 315 acres burned.
“New Jersey possesses some of the most combustible wildland fuels in the nation,” Donnelly explained. “The pine barrens are akin to having napalm spread across the terrain.”
While evacuation orders have since been lifted, officials caution that the fire risk remains elevated due to continued drought conditions and minimal rainfall.
As firefighters persist in their battle against the blaze, officials encourage residents to remain vigilant and prepared, as dry conditions could continue to exacerbate wildfire risks throughout the region.
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