A large wildfire that broke out Monday at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst continued burning Tuesday, sending smoke into nearby Ocean and Burlington counties, with hundreds of reports of a heavy smoke smell in Lakewood and Jackson.
The fire is currently burning within the confines of the base’s range, which straddles both counties.
The smoke drifting into Ocean County led to multiple calls from concerned residents to police. In response, police issued an alert reassuring residents that the fire poses no immediate threat to the area.
Base firefighters are actively managing the blaze by conducting controlled back-burning operations, removing dry brush, leaves, and weeds to prevent the fire from spreading further.
“The fire is expected to remain contained within Joint Base property,” officials confirmed, noting that the New Jersey Forest Fire Service is not currently involved in the response.