Evacuations Lifted and Parkway Reopens as Crews Gain Ground on New Jersey Wildfire

Firefighters continue to make progress Wednesday against a massive wildfire that scorched over 8,500 acres in southern New Jersey, prompting thousands of evacuations and temporarily shutting down part of the Garden State Parkway.

The blaze broke out Tuesday morning in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County. By Wednesday, officials reported that 10% of the fire had been contained, with the cause still under investigation.

Acting New Jersey Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency for Ocean County early Wednesday. “At this time, we have no loss of life and no homes have been harmed,” Way stated in a social media post.

No injuries have been reported. However, several businesses within an industrial park in Lacey Township suffered fire damage, according to county officials.