A 19-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of starting a massive New Jersey wildfire that has consumed 13,000 acres and continued to burn Thursday, authorities said.
In a statement released Thursday morning, New Jersey officials, including Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, announced the arrest of Joseph Kling of Waretown, New Jersey, on charges of aggravated arson and arson in connection with the wildfire that ignited Tuesday morning.
Kling was arrested after investigators determined the fire to be “incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire,” according to the statement.
The Jones Road Wildfire was first spotted about 9:45 a.m. on Tuesday in the Greenwood Wildlife Management area near Waretown, New Jersey, officials said.
Smoke fills the sky from a wildfire in Lacey Townships, N.J. on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
Nam Y. Huh/New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP
Fueled by draught ravaged vetation and blustery winds and low relative humidity, the fire quickly spread the pine barrens of the wildlife area, jumped the busy Garden State Parkway and at one point threatened around 1,300 structures, fire officials said.
At least 5,000 people heeded mandatory evacuation orders or voluntarily evacuated, officials said.
Officials said investigators tracked the origin of the fire to Waretown.
“Further investigation has revealed that Kling was the individual responsible for setting wooden pallets on fire — and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished,” officials said in the statement.
Kling was taken into custody at Ocean Township Police Headquarters in Watertown, officials said.
He was booked at the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing.
The Jones Road Wildfire continued to burn on Thursday. The fire has burned at least 13,250 acres and is 50% contained, according to the Fire Service.
Winds are expected to blow smoke into the New York City area.
The fire is expected to grow as dry conditions, winds, and low humidity aid the aid the blaze’s activity, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.
The sun rises through haze behind lower Manhattan created by smoke from wildfires burning in New Jersey, April 24, 2025 in New York City.
Gary Hershorn/ABC News
With the fire ongoing and winds shifting north, some of the wildfire smoke will make it to New York City and Long Island. As air quality alerts are in effect until midnight Thursday night from the elevated pollution levels the smoke will bring.
New York City was last affected by wildfire smoke in 2023 from fires in Canada but this is not expected to be nearly as intense though it can still be dangerous for highly sensitive groups.
Winds will then shift overnight away from New York City and Long Island but could shift back again on Friday bringing wildfire smoke to the region.