Seeing More Helicopters, Smoke In Lacey As Fire Rages? Don't Panic, Cops Say

LACEY, NJ — Those in the Bamber Lake section of Lacey will see more helicopter activity Wednesday afternoon, Lacey police said.

It's part of fire crew operations, police said, as the Jones Road Wildfire has reached 15,100 acres and 50 percent containment. And even though you may see additional smoke in the area, don't panic - it will be normal to see this over the next several days as authorities work to get the Jones Road Wildfire completely under control.

"Nothing has changed with the status of the fire," Lacey police said.

Smoke doesn't mean that the fire has rekindled. Part of how firefighters control these blazes is by setting backfires. They use controlled burns in order to help contain the fire.

And authorities say that the fire won't likely be fully contained until the weekend.

"We fully expect that we will see, ultimately, when all is said and done, a greater number of acreage affected," New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette told reporters Wednesday afternoon. "And this could very well end up being the largest wildfire New Jersey has seen in 20 years."

Additional reporting:

• Waretown Man Accused Of Starting Jones Road Fire That Burned 15K Acres
• Jones Road Wildfire Grows To 15K Acres, Officials Say
• 12K Acre Wildfire Could Grow To NJ's Largest In 20 Years, Officials Say
• 10 Largest Wildfires In New Jersey's History: See Where They Burned, When
• Roads Reopen, Evacuations End As Southern Ocean Wildfire Grows
• Wildfire Power Outage Keeps Businesses Closed In Southern Ocean
• Oyster Creek Owner Clarifies Plant Status Amid Wildfire In Lacey
• NJ Farm Evacuates Multiple Horses As Jones Road Wildfire Burns: Report
• Jones Road Wildfire Prompts State Of Emergency In South Jersey
• NJ Wildfire: Pictures, Videos Depict Damage As Fire Rages