A fast-moving wildfire in southern New Jersey has scorched more than 8,500 acres (3,440 hectares) of dense forest as of Tuesday night and was just 10% contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The wildfire has forced the closure of an 11-mile stretch of the Garden State Parkway and prompted the evacuation of thousands.
WILDFIRE UPDATE: Jones Road Wildfire - Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County
— New Jersey Forest Fire Service (@njdepforestfire) April 23, 2025
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
More than 1,300 structures are threatened by the menacing wildfire raging across Ocean and Lacey Townships, about 90 miles south of New York City.
Dramatic footage of the wildfire has been posted on X:
A drive down the Garden State Parkway at 2:30 AM, as the Jones Road wildfire rages on in Ocean County, NJ.
— The Lakewood Scoop (@LakewoodScoop) April 23, 2025
The Garden State Parkway and Route 9 are now open in both directions.
The fire continues to burn thousands of acres, and threaten over 1,300 structures. pic.twitter.com/K6Xqw9nVGf
BREAKING: The Garden State Parkway has been closed in both directions from Exit 80 South to Exit 63 due an ongoing wildfire which began in Barnegat Township, New Jersey.
— Shlomo Schorr (@OneJerseySchorr) April 22, 2025
The fire has so far burned hundreds of acres and is 0% contained. Mandatory evacuations have been issued.… pic.twitter.com/wlTqcB942U
Terrifying scenes in NJ as wildfire spreads pic.twitter.com/iETSFTjH5y https://t.co/nCaYvBYoW1
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 23, 2025
Large enough to see from space.
A wildfire ignites and rapidly grows in size in New Jersey. pic.twitter.com/gHyL3jLabr
— CIRA (@CIRA_CSU) April 22, 2025
Bloomberg cited satellite imagery data showing the wildfire is near the defunct Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, which was decommissioned in 2018.
Forest fires have been battering New Jersey and New York over the last year because of regional drought conditions.
According to U.S. Drought Monitor data, southern New Jersey has been plagued by a moderate drought.
Fire risks across South Jersey remain high on Wednesday.
