2nd Person Charged In 15.3K-Acre Wildfire Still Burning In South Jersey

LACEY, NJ — A 17-year-old boy has been arrested in connection with the Jones Road Wildfire that has burned more than 15,000 acres in southern Ocean County, the second arrest in connection with the fire, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

The 17-year-old was arrested Thursday, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. He has been charged with aggravated arson, arson, and hindering apprehension. They did not say where he lives.

Joseph Kling, 19, of Waretown, who was arrested April 23 and charged with aggravated arson and arson in connection with the fire, has additionally been charged with hindering apprehension, Billhimer said.

Kling was in court Friday morning for a detention hearing but the hearing was pushed to Friday afternoon.

The fire was seen about 9:45 a.m. on April 22 by the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower, which saw a column of smoke coming from the area of Jones Road and Bryant Road in Waretown. Upon arrival, emergency personnel observed a fire within the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust’s Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area, which is on the east side of Jones Road.

The fire has burned about 15,300 acres as of April 28 and was 75 percent contained as of that date, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said. It destroyed a commercial building, Liberty Door and Awning in Lacey.

Investigators determined Kling had set wooden pallets on fire and then left the area without the fire being fully extinguished, prosecutors said.

The continuing investigation led detectives to discover the 17-year-old boy assisted in setting the pallets on fire and also left without the fire being completely extinguished, prosecutors said.

Investigators also determined he gave misinformation to law enforcement about how the fire started. The 17-year-old is being held at the Ocean County Juvenile Detention Center, authorities said.

Investigators also learned Kling had provided false information to law enforcement as to how the fire started, resulting in the hindering charge.

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