A quick-moving wild fire in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens burned more than 18 square miles since breaking out on April 22, prompting evacuations of 3,000 people and endangering more than 1,300 buildings, including the location of an ex-nuclear power plant.
A enormous fire broke out Monday along Jones Road in New Jersey’s Ocean County, sweeping rapidly across an area of thousands of acres within the dry, forested expanse of Pine Barrens. By Tuesday night, the fire had consumed approximately 12,000 acres and was only 10% under control, officials with the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said.
“This is one of the most significant wildfires we’ve seen in years,” said Greg McLaughlin, Chief of the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. “The combination of dry vegetation, gusty winds, and low humidity made for extremely dangerous fire conditions.”
The blaze caused a temporary shutdown of a seven-mile section of the Garden State Parkway, affecting regional traffic and causing power outages to over 25,000 residences in order to safeguard utility personnel and firefighters. One of the most alarming developments was the close proximity of the fire to the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, which was permanently closed in 2018. While the fire did come onto the grounds of the plant, officials reported that essential infrastructure was secure and presented no danger to public safety.
As of Wednesday morning, evacuation orders had all been canceled, and the highway was reopened, although firefighters cautioned that the fire is still active and may expand until anticipated rain later in the week. Fortunately, no one has been injured or any structural damage reported as yet.
New Jersey is now at its worst wildfire season, and this is the second serious fire in the Pine Barrens region in the last week — a harbinger, experts point out, of growing wildfire dangers even in regions that are typically temperate. “Climate conditions are changing, and places such as New Jersey are having longer, more extreme fire seasons,” said Dr. Rachel Stone, a climate and forestry specialist at Rutgers University.
The authorities are currently still investigating the cause of the fire, but early signs point to it being human-related.
Conclusion:
While firefighters continue with containment efforts and weather forecasts show a ray of hope, officials call on residents to remain vigilant and heed local advice. The incident highlights the increasing threat of wildfire along the East Coast and the need for preventive forest management against the background of shifting climate patterns.
