Ocean County Wildfire Latest Update And Information

New Jersey Forest Fire Service:

New Jersey Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service will hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Wednesday, April 23 at Coyle Field Air Base, 1052 Route 72, Chatsworth, Burlington County, to provide a status update on the Jones Road Wildfire burning in Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County.

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TRAFFIC UPDATE: GARDEN STATE PARKWAY (10pm)

The Garden State Parkway is scheduled to remain closed until midnight, residents should plan for an alternate route to get to work in the morning in case the parkway closure is extended. The Parkway is open northbound from exit 74 and north. The Parkway is open southbound from 69 and south. - Lacey Township Police Facebook

WOBM 92.7/Ocean Township Police

LATEST FROM OCEAN TOWNSHIP (WARETOWN POLICE) Garden State Parkway Southbound is open for evacuation traffic at exit 69.

LATEST FROM LACEY TOWNSHIP POLICE: All residents not under voluntary or mandatory evacuation are asked to stay off the roadway to allow first responders to do their jobs....Thank you

LACEY TOWNSHIP POLICE: The Charles Smith Community Center, is no longer a temporary shelter. We lost power. The Manchester Township High School will be the new shelter.

Fire details from the latest updates from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service

New Jersey Forest Fire Service remains on the scene of a wildfire burning in Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County.

8,500 acres are involved in the fire
10% containment (as per last update 10:55 pm)
1,320 structures threatened along Bryant Road and Wells Mills Road, - Rt 532
3,000 RESIDENTS EVACUATED
Garden State Parkway Closed (Both Ways) Exit 69 (Waretown) Southbound open in area for evacuations
Rt 532 (Wells Mills Road) From Rt 72 and the GSP
Bryant Road is closed from Wells Mills Road (Rt 532) and Rt 539
Jones Road is closed between Route 532 and Bryant Road

Ocean Township Police via Facebook

LACEY TOWNSHIP POLICE:

The only areas under mandatory evacuation are as follows:

South Barnegat Pines south of Lakeside Drive South (including Pheasant Run)

Beach Blvd area from Route 9 to the Lacey Elks, and all of the areas in between Route 9 and the Lacey Elks (Clune Park, Orlando Drive, Sandy Hook Drive, Clubhouse Drive, and all roads in between)

There are reports of scattered power outages .... Latest Reports Estimate 23,000 residents are without power

Frightening scenes of the Jones Road Wildfire

The smoke from the Jones Road Wildfire in a forest of Ocean County on April 22, 2025, could be seen for miles, including from the coast.

Gallery Credit: New Jersey 101.5

According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service:

"On average of 1,500 wildfires damage or destroy 7,000 acres of New Jersey's forests each year. Wildfires not only damage our woodlands, but are becoming an increasing threat to homeowners who live within or adjacent to forest environments and residents who utilize the state's great outdoors for various forms of recreation. Since 1906 the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has been the agency responsible for protecting life, property, as well as the state's natural resources from wildfire."

Shawn Michaels