NJ Wildfire: Pictures, Videos Depict Damage As Fire Rages

Videos and photos of the wildfires burning in South Jersey depicted an Armageddon-like scenery, as flames engulfed local roadways and prompted thousands of evacuations.

The fire, which began Tuesday in Barnegat, quickly prompted 5,000 evacuations and closed roads. As of Wednesday morning, the fire is 11,500 acres and 30 percent contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The fire caused the closure of the Garden State Parkway and Route 9 on Tuesday, but as of Wednesday morning, those roads have been reopened. Visibility is limited for drivers. Evacuation orders have also been lifted for the approximately 5,000 affected residents in Lacey, Waretown and Barnegat.

An estimated 25,000 JCP&L customers lost power Tuesday as the company cut power lines in and out of their Oyster Creek substation. As of late Tuesday, 1,320 buildings were threatened by the growing blaze. At least one — Liberty Door and Awning in the Lacey Industrial Park — was completely destroyed.

Multiple videos on social media show the devastation as the fire burned Tuesday into Wednesday.

Robert Phibbs of Lacey took this video about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday of the fire burning along Lacey Road as he drove west past the Garden State Parkway. (Profanity warning for viewers.)

Do you have photos of the fire you can share with Patch? Send them to veronica.flesher@patch.com.

These additional images depict the magnitude of the fire:

Do you have photos of the fire you can share with Patch? Send them to veronica.flesher@patch.com.