TOMS RIVER, NJ — Authorities in New Jersey arrested and charged a man with arson for starting a rapidly spreading wildfire that has scorched thousands of acres in the state’s central region.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office announced Thursday that Joseph Kling, 19, of Ocean Township, has been charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection with the Jones Road blaze. The fire began on April 22 near Waretown, an unincorporated settlement on the Jersey Shore, and quickly spread over southern Ocean County.

According to authorities, the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower discovered a column of smoke near Jones Road and Bryant Road in Ocean Township around 9:45 a.m. on April 22. There, rescue responders discovered a fire in the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust’s Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area, located on the east side of Jones Road.

According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, an investigation by local and state authorities revealed that the fire was caused by an insufficiently extinguished bonfire. Prosecutors accused Kling of igniting wooden crates and then departing the scene before the fire was totally extinguished.

“I’m not prepared to discuss a motive at this time, nor does the state have to prove what the motive is,” Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said during a news conference. “We can just confidently say that we can think the fire was set intentionally.”

Kling was arrested at Ocean Township Police Headquarters and then brought to Ocean County Jail, where he awaits a detention hearing.

According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the fire had burned over 15,000 acres and was 50% contained as of 7 p.m. on April 24.

The blaze damaged a business structure, as well as numerous other outbuildings and cars, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. No casualties were recorded. About 5,000 evacuated residents have since been permitted to return home, but authorities believe the fire will continue to spread until the area receives a heavy rain.

Jones Road wildfire is causing air quality difficulties as far as NYC.
Heavy smoke from the wildfire was obscuring visibility in neighbouring townships, and authorities cautioned locals to drive carefully. Authorities in New York issued air quality alerts on April 24 because the travelling smoke was making the air unhealthy for vulnerable groups.

The alert included Manhattan along with the Bronx, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester and Rockland.

Residents of New York will be able to see and smell smoke from New Jersey, according to officials.