New Jersey Residents Able to Return Home Following Wildfire

Residents of Manchester Township, New Jersey are returning home after being forced to evacuate following a fast-moving wildfire that broke out Tuesday evening.

Residents of the southern New Jersey township were alerted Tuesday evening of the now-named Jimmy’s Waterhole Fire. That following morning, authorities reported that the fire had already burned over 3,500 acres.

The New Jersey Forest Fire Service said that residents ordered to evacuate were “relocated to the Manchester Township Highschool and are being supported by the American Red Cross, Manchester Township EMS, Manchester Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department.”

Officials reported that 20 structures were threatened by the blaze and 50% of the fire was contained Wednesday morning.

While combating the flames, John Cecil, assistant commissioner of state parks, forests, and historic sites, said that he and others “saw a wall of fire, 200-foot flames, raining fire embers.”

Also Wednesday morning, The New Jersey Forest Fire Service stated that all evacuations have been lifted in the area of Manchester Township.

Since the beginning of the fire, no injuries have been reported and the cause is still under investigation.