Apocalyptic scenes as NJ wildfire forces evacuations and closes highways

🔥 The fire remained out of control as it burned 13 square miles
🔥 Mandatory evacuations and highway closures
🔥 NJ 101.5 listeners send in photos

 UPDATE: Click here for Wednesday updates

It looked like massive storm clouds, the kind to make you seek cover.

But the dark pillars that towered over Ocean County on Tuesday afternoon, and seen from miles away, were from an out-of-control wildfire that in a matter of hours grew from over a hundred acres to more than 13 square miles.

The Jones Road Wildfire, burning the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area spanning parts of the townships of Barnegat, Ocean and Lacey, forced the closure of Route 9 and the Garden State Parkway during the afternoon rush hour and forced 3,000 residents to evacuate and plunged 25,000 homes and businesses into the dark.

CAUTION: Explicit language in video below

THE LATEST: Follow updates on the Jones Road Wildfire

Mandatory evacuation orders were issued after 6 p.m. for the Route 9 area in Lacey. Earlier in the afternoon, evacuations were ordered in Ocean Township for 16 buildings on Wells Mills Road, from Bryant Road to the Garden State Parkway.

By 8 p.m., the evacuation orders affected 1,320 buildings. Authorities opened several evacuation shelters: Southern Regional High School in Manahawkin and Manchester Township High School. Pets are accepted at both, police officials said.

As of 10 p.m., the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said just 10% of the fire was considered under control.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation as officials marshaled ground crews, bulldozers, a 300-gallon helicopter and a 600-gallon contact air tanker.

Concern grew online for the safety of the animals at an alpaca farm in the Waretown section of Ocean Township.

"Okay things were looking pretty bad for a few but it looks like it has passed us and unfortunately it is headed to the parkway!" Out of Sight Alpacas posted at 4:30 p.m. on Facebook.

"Thank you for all the calls and support we are very grateful it looks like we are going to just miss it."

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