Bayville, New Jersey – Engine 1731 and Command 1700 from Bayville Volunteer Fire Department are on scene of the Waretown Forest fire, providing structural protection on Route 532.

A fast-moving wildfire in New Jersey on Tuesday forced thousands of people to evacuate and closed part of a major highway.

The Garden State Parkway, one of New Jersey’s busiest highways, was shut down between Barnegat and Lacey townships, according to the New Jersey Fire Service.

More than 1,300 structures were threatened, and about 3,000 residents were evacuated. Shelters were opened at two high schools.

Jersey Central Power and Light Company cut power to about 25,000 customers at the request of the Forest Fire Service and the wildfire’s command post. Many of those affected were in Barnegat Township.

The company said it does not expect to restore power before Wednesday, explaining the outage is for the safety of crews battling the fire.

The wildfire, located in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area, burned more than 13.2 square miles of land.

The blaze, burning in Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County, was only about 10% contained as of Tuesday night. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

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