Smoke Billows Across Ocean County From Joint Base Controlled Burns

JOINT BASE McGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, NJ — Smoke that rolled across parts of Ocean County on Friday night and Saturday was due to controlled burns aimed at decreasing the risk of range fires, officials at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst said.

Heavy smoke and ash from the fire on the base were being blown over parts of Plumsted, Manchester and Jackson on Friday night, prompting calls to the Ocean County Sheriff's Department. The sheriff's department sent out an alert shortly after 8:30 p.m. saying they were controlled burns.

Joint Base officials also posted a statement to the base's Facebook page saying, "A controlled fire burn is currently taking place on the east side of the installation on the ranges and is being managed by our trained professionals. The burn is being closely monitored. You may notice a large cloud of smoke, which is expected and normal. We appreciate your understanding!"

Range fires start when the heat from fired ammunition at tactical training ranges causes small fires, which can happen when conditions are dry. The base has several tactical ranges, officials said.

The Joint Base statement sparked comments on the base's Facebook page from residents deriding the statement, particularly from Manchester residents who lived in the area of the 2023 wildfire that consumed more than 3,800 acres of forest in the Pine Barrens.

That fire led to evacuations of 170 homes and 75 structures, including a church, were threatened at the peak of the fire. No homes or structures were burned down in the fire, which started on the eastern edge of the Joint Base. The cause of that fire was never released.

Base officials, in a follow-up message on Saturday, said they were using controlled burns "to stop or decrease the risk of range fires spreading to our surrounding communities," because conditions had become so dry. "

"We appreciate all the work our JB MDL firefighting team does to keep us safe. Additional updates will be provided as necessary. Thank you for your continued support," base officials said.