Fire Ignites in Pine Barrens, Spreads Rapidly
A massive wildfire in Ocean County has expanded to 8,500 acres, beginning shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday near Jones and Bryant roads at the Barnegat-Waretown boundary and spreading north into Lacey Township by the evening.
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service confirmed that the blaze consumed 5,300 additional acres during the evening, having initially burned 3,200 acres earlier in the day and continuing to grow overnight.
WILDFIRE UPDATE: Jones Road Wildfire – Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County
New Jersey Forest Fire Service remains on scene of a wildfire burning in Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County.
SIZE & CONTAINMENT
🔥 8,500 acres
🔥 10% contained pic.twitter.com/6rN2Ku9e5N— New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) April 23, 2025
Emergency Services Order Evacuations
Approximately 3,000 residents have evacuated as the fire advanced through communities in Waretown, Barnegat, and Lacey, with emergency crews working through the night to protect lives and property.
In Waretown, mandatory evacuation orders cover all areas east of the Garden State Parkway to Route 9, along with all houses and businesses on Route 532, while Barnegat police issued voluntary evacuation notices for the Windward, Mirage, Pheasant Run, Heritage Point North, and Brookville communities.
EVACUATION NOTICE: Jones Road Wildfire – Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area
Mandatory evacuations are underway on Wells Mills Road from Bryant Road to the Garden State Parkway in Ocean Twp., Ocean County. pic.twitter.com/GqKrqMZ0KW
— New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) April 22, 2025
In Lacey, evacuations have been issued for Beach Boulevard and surrounding Clune Park streets, including South River Drive, Sandy Hook Drive, and Orlando Drive, and officials also ordered mandatory evacuations for the Pheasant Run community and the southern section of Barnegat Pines, south of Lakeside Drive South.
Structures Damaged as Blaze Intensifies
Lacey Mayor Peter Curatola confirmed that three buildings in the township’s industrial park caught fire, one of which was completely destroyed, while the flames threatened 1,320 homes and buildings across the region.
Figure 1: The fire has been blazing since 13 hours
Curatola warned residents to remain alert and follow emergency instructions, stating, “What we have now is if the winds change tonight and blow harder and blow northbound, there could be other evacuations,” as crews prepared for shifting conditions.
Power Outage Impacts Thousands
The wildfire triggered widespread power outages, with more than 23,000 JCP&L customers losing electricity in Barnegat and Waretown after JCP&L cut power from the Oyster Creek substation at the request of the Forest Fire Service to ensure crew safety.
Lacey resident Dawn Kramer described her evacuation, saying, “It wasn’t bad until I saw the flames. Then it got real,” and explained how she packed important documents, her daughter, two cats, and three dogs before heading to her mother’s house in Little Egg Harbor.
Kramer noted the thick smoke reduced visibility so much that she could not see the Garden State Parkway as she passed.
very rarely post stuff like this but if you’re in ocean county, new jersey like me, please find safety and know your evacuation zones. this fire has been going for 13 hours, covered 8500+ acres, and is still barely contained. please be careful as we go into the night pic.twitter.com/tk0rvockRF
— shayla ?! yellowjackets spoilers (@elphietomlinson) April 23, 2025
Road Closures Create Gridlock Across Region
The Garden State Parkway remains closed between Exit 63 in Stafford and Exit 80 in South Toms River, while Route 9 is also closed in parts of Lacey, forcing traffic onto secondary roads, which became gridlocked with cars and emergency vehicles.
Additional road closures include Route 532 between Route 72 and the Parkway, Bryant Road between Routes 532 and 539, and Jones Road between Route 532 and Bryant Road, though Parker Point Boulevard at Route 9 in Lacey has partially reopened, according to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.
Evacuation Centres Set Up Across County
Multiple shelters are now open for evacuees, including Manchester High School and Southern Regional High School in Stafford, the latter accepting residents with pets, while the Lacey Township Community Center on East Lacey Road in Forked River also provides temporary shelter.
In Barnegat, the United Methodist Church on Bryant Road serves as a shelter for those from affected areas, and emergency personnel continue to direct displaced residents to safe locations.
Firefighting Efforts Continue Amidst Difficult Conditions
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is deploying bulldozers, fire engines, ground crews, and aerial support, including a helicopter capable of dropping 300 gallons of water and a contact air tanker that can release 600 gallons, with a second helicopter assisting by monitoring fire movement.
Crews are working throughout the day and night to suppress the flames, protect structures, and keep the fire from spreading further as conditions remain volatile.
Wells Mills County Park Closed to Public
Wells Mills County Park has been closed due to the advancing fire, as authorities restrict access to protect public safety and support fire suppression activities.
The Forest Fire Service has reported that the current fire danger level is high in the southern part of the state and moderate in northern regions, with fire risks remaining elevated in the coming days.
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Investigation Into Cause Underway
Officials have not yet determined the cause of the wildfire, which was first reported at 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, when a Nixle alert from Barnegat Police said five acres were ablaze near Jones and Bryant roads with no initial threat to the public.
According to the Forest Fire Service, any fire that exceeds 100 acres qualifies as a major wildfire, and this incident, now one of the largest in southern Ocean County history, has already scorched 8,500 acres.
The state averages around 1,500 wildfires each year, affecting or destroying roughly 7,000 acres of forest, while authorities continue to monitor conditions and coordinate response efforts as the situation evolves.
