Wildfire in New Jersey forces 3,000 to flee their homes

A rapidly spreading wildfire in New Jersey has prompted mass evacuations and the closure of a large stretch of the state's busiest highway, the Garden State Parkway. Firefighters are still trying to combat the Jones Road Wildfire, which broke out on Tuesday and spread to 8,500 acres.

The blaze began at 11 am on Tuesday in Lacey and Ocean Townships, Ocean County, prompting an aggressive response from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. Around 3,000 people had to flee their homes because of the inferno.

No loss of life or injuries have been reported yet and the cause of the blaze is being investigated by the fire department.

The US has been witness to a devastating fire earlier this year.

In January, at least 24 people were killed due to wildfires in Los Angeles. Sixteen others were reported missing. The inferno, which raged for days, destroyed over 12,000 structures.

Firefighters from seven US states, along with teams from Canada and Mexico, had to join in the efforts to help contain the California wildfire.

POWER TO 25,000 CUSTOMERS IN NEW JERSEY CUT OFF

In the latest fire incident in New Jersey, over 1,300 structures were threatened, and about 3,000 residents were evacuated, according to the Forest Fire Service. Shelters have been set up at schools for those forced to flee their homes.

Road closures were also in effect Tuesday night across the county, including for 17 miles of the Garden State Parkway, Route 9, Route 532, Lakeside Drive, Jones Road, Bryant Road, and Route 72, the New York Post reported, citing a statement from the state forest fire agency.

The Jersey Central Power and Light Company cut power to 25,000 customers at the request of the Forest Fire Service to protect responding firefighters, according to the statement.

"Safety is our top priority, and all restoration timing will be determined by the safety of firefighters, our crews, and the public. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time," the statement added.

The blaze in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area has destroyed more than 13.2 square miles (34.2 square kilometers) of land, news agency AP reported, citing fire officials.

Thick, black clouds filled the sky, causing a public health advisory in the county as air quality worsened. Some buildings appeared to have already been burned as firefighters worked to protect structures, CNN reported, citing visuals shown on WPVI-TV.

The fire comes as New Jersey is under an official drought warning, with "well-below-average precipitation throughout the winter," the state said in a news release last month. Approximately 7,000 acres of New Jersey’s forests are burned each year, with Tuesday’s fire surpassing the yearly average, CNN reported.