A 19-year-old man has been charged with arson after a carelessly managed bonfire ignited what officials are calling one of the worst wildfires in New Jersey in decades. Joseph Kling, a resident of Ocean Township, now faces serious criminal charges for allegedly starting a fire that scorched over 15,000 acres of precious woodland and forced thousands from their homes.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Kling has been charged with both aggravated arson and arson after investigators say he “set fire to wooden pallets and did not properly extinguish the blaze before he left the area.”
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer didn’t mince words: “We can just confidently say that we think the fire was set intentionally.” Investigators were able to trace the fire’s origin with GPS technology, leading them directly to Kling.
The blaze, known as the Jones Road Fire, erupted Tuesday morning and by Thursday had spread across 15,250 acres with only 50 percent containment. New Jersey Forest Fire Service Chief Bill Donnelly explained the severity: “New Jersey has some of the most volatile wildland fuels in the country. So once a fire like that gets established, there is no catching it.”
The fire prompted mass evacuations and destroyed at least one commercial building. Acting Governor Tahesha Way declared a State of Emergency as crews worked tirelessly to protect structures and lives. Thankfully, there have been “no loss of life, no loss of any single-family structure in Lacey Township and… no report of an injury,” said Lacey Township Mayor Peter Curatolo.
Kling is currently being held at the Ocean County jail and will remain there until his detention hearing scheduled for April 29. As Prosecutor Billhimer warned: “Starting a fire out in the woods when the conditions are dry… could lead to widespread damage, loss of life, loss of property and potentially criminal charges.”
This case stands as a sobering reminder of the devastating consequences that can arise from reckless behavior, especially in dry, flammable conditions.
