Authorities confirmed on Thursday that a 19-year-old man from Ocean Township, New Jersey, has been charged in connection with a wildfire that erupted Tuesday and spread rapidly across more than 15,000 acres. In a statement released jointly by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean Township Police Department, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, officials announced that Joseph Kling has been taken into custody and placed in the Ocean County Jail. He faces charges of aggravated arson and arson and is awaiting a detention hearing.
Authorities allege that Kling is responsible for igniting the fire, which tore through large areas of Waretown and Lacey townships and resulted in the destruction of a commercial property. Investigators say the blaze began after Kling allegedly built a bonfire using wooden pallets and then left the area before ensuring the fire was out, leading to his arrest on charges of arson and aggravated arson. The flames were initially discovered in the Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area, part of the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust.
The wildfire in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens—a sprawling forest region spanning more than 1 million acres and roughly the size of the Grand Canyon — was sparked by an abandoned bonfire and has continued to spread, prompting air quality alerts as far as New York City. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the wildfire remained only 50% contained as of 10 a.m. EDT on Thursday. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday that smoke would likely linger and emergency crews would remain on the scene for several days.
The fire has consumed over 23 square miles of land, making it one of the largest wildfires the state has seen in nearly 20 years, with firefighters battling tough conditions, including dry air and the effects of a prolonged drought. New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the U.S., and officials have warned that residential areas nearby could be at risk. No injuries or fatalities have been reported, with approximately 5,000 residents evacuated at one point but were allowed to return on Wednesday.
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