PH consulate: No reports of Filipinos hurt in New Jersey wildfire

The Philippine Consulate General in New York has confirmed that there are no reports of any Filipinos injured in the massive wildfire that spread in Ocean County, New Jersey.

According to local authorities, the wildfire broke out on Tuesday in the Greenwood Forest Wildfire Management Area.

The blaze rapidly spread across thousands of acres of forest land, prompting the evacuation of nearby residents and raising concerns over the safety of several structures in the area. As of the latest update, the fire was approximately 50% contained, but continued to pose a threat to properties and natural resources in its path.

Consul General Senen Mangalile reported that the consulate has been closely monitoring the situation since the fire began and has already submitted an official report to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila to provide updates on the incident.

"No information that any Filipino was injured," Mangelile told GMA Integrated News.

The Philippine Consulate urges members of the Filipino community in affected areas to remain vigilant and follow the guidance of local authorities. Filipinos who may require assistance or wish to report any concerns are advised to contact the consulate directly.

Meanwhile, a New Jersey teenager has been charged with arson in connection with a wildfire in the Pinelands region that has already scorched 15,000 acres and could grow into the largest blaze in the state since 2007, prosecutors said on Thursday.

The Jones Road Wildfire, which started on Tuesday morning in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County, was caused by an improperly extinguished bonfire, the Ocean County prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Joseph Kling, 19, was charged with arson and aggravated arson in connection with the blaze, which spread to at least 15,000 acres and destroyed a commercial building, officials said in a statement.

"Kling was the individual responsible for setting wooden pallets on fire–and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished," the statement said.

The fire, which was burning in an unpopulated area halfway between Asbury Park and Atlantic City, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. A "soaking rainfall" would be needed to fully extinguish it, officials said.

The Ocean County resident was taken into custody at the Township Police Headquarters and later transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he will be held pending a detention hearing.

The blaze could become the largest in New Jersey since a May 2007 fire that consumed 17,000 acres, said Shawn LaTourette, the state's commissioner of environmental protection, at a press conference on Tuesday.

On average, 1,500 wildfires damage or destroy 7,000 acres of the state's forests each year, the New Jersey Forest Fire Service said on its website.

While the blaze is no longer a threat to populated areas, Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency beginning on Wednesday morning. She was filling in for Governor Phil Murphy, who was on an overseas trip. — with a report from Reuters/ VDV, GMA Integrated News