NJ wildfire update: Teen charged with arson in Ocean County blaze
Air quality: Smoke from NJ wildfire reaches NYC
Smoke from a wildfire burning in NJ is drifting into NYC, prompting state officials to issue an Air Quality Health Advisory for Thursday. FOX 5 NY's Liv Johnson and Briella Tomassetti have the story.
NEW JERSEY - A 19-year-old man has been charged with arson in connection with the massive wildfire that has torched thousands of acres of woodland in Ocean County, New Jersey.
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Jones Road Wildfire NJ: Latest updates
What we know:
Prosecutors on Thursday reported that Joseph Kling, an Ocean Township resident, was charged with aggravated arson and arson.
According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the cause of the fire was "determined to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire."
"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," authorities said.
Kling was taken to Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing.
New Jersey wildfire map
The backstory:
The New Jersey Forest Fire Service says the fire has torched 15,000 acres and remains just 50% contained after it first sparked on Tuesday night. Officials say the fire could continue to burn for days before rain later this week. No injuries have been reported.
Around 5,000 residents were evacuated but have been permitted to return home. A single commercial building and some vehicles were destroyed in the fire. On Wednesday, acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way declared a State of Emergency.
AirNow has an interactive Fire and Smoke Map for updates on blazes in your area. The National Interagency Fire Center has also partnered with NASA to provide real-time interactive fire maps.
What they're saying:
"This is still a very active fire," said New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette. "As we continue to get this under full control the expectation is that the number of acres will grow and will grow in a place that is unpopulated."
Air quality near me
Meanwhile, smoke from the wildfire is drifting into New York City, prompting state officials to issue an Air Quality Health Advisory for Thursday.
This map from AirNow.gov shows the current air quality in the New York City area. Click HERE if you're having trouble viewing the embedded map.
Dry conditions across the state are resulting in a "high" fire danger rating in several regions, including New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley.
Dig deeper:
Forest fires are a common occurrence in the Pine Barrens, a 1.1 million-acre state and federally protected reserve about the size of the Grand Canyon lying halfway between Philadelphia to the west and the Atlantic coast to the east.
The region, with its quick-draining sandy soil, is in peak forest fire season. The trees are still developing leaves, humidity remains low and winds can kick up, drying out the forest floor.