New Jersey wildfire prompts state of emergency, evacuation

New York, April 24 (IANS) A significant wildfire raging through New Jersey has triggered a state of emergency after consuming nearly 11,500 acres, forcing thousands to evacuate, disrupting traffic, and blanketing the sky with dense black smoke.

New Jersey Acting Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency starting at 7 a.m. on Wednesday, noting on social media that no fatalities or structural damage had occurred, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Jones Road Wildfire ignited on Tuesday afternoon in Ocean County's Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area rapidly grew to 8,500 acres by late evening, as reported by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Fanned by 25-miles-per-hour wind gusts, the blaze remained just 10 per cent contained by Tuesday night, endangering 1,320 buildings and prompting 3,000 residents in Ocean and Lacey Townships to flee.

Authorities lifted all evacuation orders by 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, though more than 25,000 households lost power as officials deactivated lines to protect fire crews.

As of 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the wildfire had scorched nearly 11,500 acres, threatened 20 structures, prompted evacuations in Ocean and Lacey Townships, caused widespread power outages, and forced the closure of several roadways--including a portion of the Garden State Parkway -- causing major traffic disruptions.

"We've truly averted a major disaster," New Jersey Forest Fire Service Commissioner Shawn LaTourette said on Wednesday morning.

"This wildfire is not under full and complete control, we still have a lot of work to do to achieve complete containment of the wildfire. But there were 1,300 homes that were threatened during the course of fighting this fire."

The Commissioner said he expects the acreage to grow as they work to contain the fire, saying, "this could very well end up being the largest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years."

"As many folks here know, we've been under continuing dry conditions, particularly in the southern part of the state, and those dry conditions have very much influenced this fire," said LaTourette, adding the cause remains under investigation.

Dramatic visuals captured the wildfire's intensity, with smoke initially affecting southern New Jersey, including Atlantic City. Forecasts predicted shifting winds would push smoke northward toward New York City by Wednesday night, potentially reaching Long Island and north-central New Jersey by Thursday.

Moreover, the decommissioned nuclear power plant Oyster Creek which was shut down in 2018, still stores spent nuclear fuel on-site.

Earlier Tuesday evening, a minor fire was reported on the property but was quickly extinguished, according to a spokesperson who spoke with NJ Advance Media.

The plant is located within the mandatory evacuation zone designated by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Lacey Township's police department issued a public alert stating that the operational status of the power grid near the plant was "unknown".

They warned residents to prepare for potential prolonged outages, as downed power lines and damaged transformers may be involved.

Jersey Central Power and Light (JCPL) had pre-emptively shut off power in the area to reduce the risk of fire from arcing wires.

When asked about the presence of nuclear materials at the site, officials confirmed that spent fuel remains stored at Oyster Creek, but emphasised it is secured in hardened casks designed to withstand extreme conditions, including fires.

--IANS

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