Fire crews in southern New Jersey are making steady progress against a massive wildfire that has scorched over 13,000 acres since it ignited Tuesday morning.
As of Wednesday night, officials say the fire is about 50% contained, and evacuation orders have been lifted.
The fire began in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County and quickly grew, prompting the evacuation of roughly 5,000 residents and a temporary shutdown of the Garden State Parkway—a major highway through the state.
“We’ve truly averted a major disaster,” said Shawn LaTourette, Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, during a press conference.
“The fire is still growing, but we’ve made a lot of progress.” Officials believe this could become the largest wildfire in the state in the past two decades.
Acting Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency on Wednesday morning but confirmed that no lives have been lost and no homes were destroyed. One commercial building and some smaller outbuildings and vehicles were lost to the flames.
READ ALSO: ‘Pretty Crazy’: Vance Recounts Final Encounter with Pope Francis Before His Death
Residents of Lacey and Ocean townships, who had been forced to flee, began returning home Wednesday morning.
“Our plan is to get people back home, get roads reopened and knock that smoke down,” said Trevor Raynor, a division forest fire warden.
More than 25,000 customers temporarily lost power when utility companies proactively shut off lines to protect from fire damage. Power has since been restored to all affected areas.
The wildfire coincides with New Jersey’s ongoing drought, which left forests dangerously dry after a winter of below-average rainfall.
Winds up to 25 mph on Tuesday worsened the blaze, but calmer conditions midweek are helping crews gain control. Rain expected this weekend could further aid containment.
“This fire is a stark reminder of how vulnerable we are to climate-driven disasters,” said LaTourette. “We’re thankful no lives were lost.”
