Shocking News: Massive Ocean County, NJ wildfire forces evacuations, threatens thousands of structures

The fire, being referred to as the Jones Wildfire, was first reported by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service around 12:22 p.m. on Tuesday. As of 10 p.m., officials said the blaze was 10% contained.

Officials say the blaze, located about 80 miles south of New York City, began as a brush fire earlier in the day and rapidly spread across the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area.

Jersey Central Power and Light reports that over 20,000 customers are without power in the affected area. Officials say power was preemptively shut off to prevent further risk from arcing lines. The status of the grid near the Oyster Creek nuclear facility is currently unknown.

With winds expected to calm overnight, smoke in the area is likely to increase, reducing visibility. Drivers are urged to use caution.

Residents affected by outages are encouraged to visit the JCP&L or Atlantic City Electric websites for updates.