Explosive Wildfire Rages Through New Jersey Pine Barrens—3,000 Evacuated as Flames Spread to 8,500 Acres

Fire grows to 8,500 acres, only 10% contained as of Tuesday evening

Explosive Wildfire Rages Through New Jersey Pine Barrens—3,000 Evacuated as Flames Spread to 8,500 Acres

DECK
Fast-moving blaze in Ocean County triggers massive evacuations and power outages; officials race to contain just 10% of fire as over 1,300 structures remain in danger

KEY FACTS

• What: Rapidly expanding wildfire burns across southern New Jersey

• Where: Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, Barnegat Township, Ocean County

• When: Ignited around 10 a.m. Tuesday; surged overnight into Wednesday

• Evacuations: Around 3,000 residents forced to flee Ocean and Lacey townships

• Size: Fire grows to 8,500 acres, only 10% contained as of Tuesday evening

• Impact: Major road closures, widespread power outages affecting up to 25,000 properties

• Threats: Over 1,300 buildings at risk

• Injuries: No casualties reported

• Cause: Under investigation

SITUATION SNAPSHOT
Towering flames devoured acres of pine forest as thick smoke billowed into the skies above Ocean County. By Tuesday afternoon, chopper footage revealed a fiery wall tearing through the wilderness, swallowing structures and casting an orange haze over neighborhoods.

WHAT WE KNOW
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service confirmed the blaze began Tuesday morning within the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Barnegat Township. Fueled by dry conditions and gusting winds, the wildfire exploded in size overnight—nearly tripling its footprint. Authorities estimate only 10% containment has been achieved.

Evacuations were enforced across parts of Ocean and Lacey townships. While Ocean Township police lifted evacuation orders by 6:30 a.m. Wednesday for areas like Brookville and homes west of the Garden State Parkway, several neighborhoods in Lacey Township, including Pheasant Run, remain under orders to leave.

The Garden State Parkway, closed for several hours between exits 63 and 74, has since reopened, along with stretches of Route 9.

To aid firefighting efforts and reduce risk, Jersey Central Power & Light proactively cut electricity to approximately 25,000 homes and businesses Tuesday night. Fire teams have deployed bulldozers, engines, and ground crews to create containment zones, and are performing backburn operations to slow the fire’s advance.

WHAT’S NEXT
Officials are scheduled to provide an update on containment efforts during an 11 a.m. press briefing Wednesday. Firefighters continue battling the blaze amid fluctuating wind conditions, and residents are urged to stay alert for renewed evacuation orders.

VOICES ON THE GROUND
"Lots of smoke in the air. You could really smell and taste the smoke and the fire in the air. It was definitely very strong, very prevalent," said resident Andrew Fellin. "Right after the police showed up, told us that it was a mandatory evacuation, that's when our power went out in our house, and that's when we're like, OK we need to get out of here. So I'd say a little scary, a little chaotic, just overall shocked."

CONTEXT
New Jersey’s Pine Barrens are especially vulnerable during dry spells, with dense forest and underbrush creating ideal wildfire conditions. Wildfires in this region, while not uncommon, rarely reach this scale. Officials point to climate-related shifts—longer dry seasons and increased wind events—as factors escalating the size and frequency of recent blazes across the Northeast.

REPORTER INSIGHT
From the roadside near Barnegat, the acrid scent of smoke clings to the air. Families gathered in school shelters swap stories and scroll for updates, their homes now behind fire lines. The intensity of this fire, paired with its rapid expansion, has left a community shaken but resilient, clinging to hope as the sky glows faintly with ember-red hues.