New Jersey wildfire prompts mandatory evacuations in Ocean County

New Jersey wildfire spreads implicit thousands of acres

New Jersey wildfire spreads implicit thousands of acres 03:02

Mandatory evacuations person been ordered for immoderate homes successful New Jersey's Ocean Township, Lakewood and Lacey Township successful Ocean County owed to a wildfire.

The occurrence started astir 10 a.m. astatine the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area. The origin of the occurrence is nether investigation. 

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said as of 8 p.m. Tuesday, 1,320 structures are threatened and 3,000 radical person been evacuated.

Officials accidental astir 3,200 acres are burning and the wildfire is 5% contained.

The occurrence caused galore postulation impacts, including: 

• Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) being closed betwixt Route 72 and the Garden State Parkway.
• Bryant Road was closed betwixt Rt. 532 and Rt. 539.
• Jones Road was closed betwixt Rt. 532 and Bryant Road.

The southbound Garden State Parkway has been reopened betwixt interchanges 69 and 63, and the northbound Parkway has reopened betwixt interchanges 74 and 80

So far, determination were nary reported injuries.

Officials person deployed a chopper and a level to driblet h2o connected the fire.

Jersey Central Power & Light reported implicit 25,000 customers were without powerfulness astatine 1 constituent Tuesday evening owed to the wildfire.

According to JCP&L, each lines successful and retired of their Oyster Creek substation were de-energized astatine the petition of the Forest Fire Service to support crews battling the fire.

"Safety is our apical precedence and each restoration timing volition beryllium determined by the information of firefighters, our crews and the public. We admit your patience and knowing during this time," a spokesperson said.

Officials reminded radical not to alert drones successful occurrence zones. 

In:
• New Jersey
• Wildfire
• Ocean County