04/24/2025
WILDFIRE UPDATE 🔥
••The Jones Road wildfire has reached 15,000 acres with 50% containment as of 10 am.
••All mandatory evacuations have been lifted and the GSP and Route 9 are reopened to traffic.
••> Local police have one Ocean Township man in custody on arson charges. It is claimed he was burning pallets and left them before ensuring they were fully out which is believed to have triggered the fire. He is being charged with aggravated arson and arson at this time.
••A full damage assessment is underway however we know for sure one commercial business was lost and according to the property owner caused a loss of 2 Million dollars of inventory. This is along with several out buildings and vehicles being burned according to NJFFS.
••An air quality alert is in effect for a large part of the region due to the wildfire smoke and falling ash.
••Several back burns and fire lines have been made in attempts to contain the blaze and it's likely these operations saved several communities.
••*Massive shout out to all New Jersey Forest Fire Service, all local full time fire fighters, and especially all local volunteer fire fighters for protecting our beautiful pine forests and communities.