Man Charged With Arson in New Jersey Pine Barrens Fire, Officials Say

The fire has prompted air quality alerts for the New York City metro area.

Smoke fills the sky from a wildfire in Lacey Townships, N.J., on April 22, 2025. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP

Authorities have charged a man with arson for allegedly sparking a large fire currently burning in the New Jersey Pine Barrens area that sparked air quality alerts for New York City and nearby areas.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office on April 24 announced the arrest of 19-year-old Joseph Kling from Waretown, New Jersey, and charged him with arson and aggravated arson regarding the fire, which they described as having started from “an improperly extinguished bonfire.”