OCEAN COUNTY, N.J. — Police have arrested a 19-year-old man on arson charges for allegedly starting a fire that turned into a massive wildfire.
Joseph Kling, 19, from Waretown, New Jersey, is facing arson and aggravated arson charges in relation to the blaze that started burning on Tuesday morning.
Officials said Kling started a bonfire using wooden pallets and then left the site without putting the fire he allegedly started fully out, The Washington Post reported.
Kling was taken into custody and was being held at the Ocean County Jail, WCBS reported.
The wildfire has burned 15,000 acres and was only about 50% contained. Officials said it may be the largest wildfire that the state has seen in 20 years, WCBS reported.
Vegetation that is dry because of drought conditions, winds and low humidity allowed the flames to spread quickly, fire officials said, according to ABC News.
The fire forced the evacuation of 5,000 people, threatened 1,300 buildings and forced the temporary closure of the Garden State Parkway, but so far, only a commercial building has been destroyed, and a couple of cabins have been damaged. No one has been injured.
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