Thousands evacuated as wildfire sweeps through New Jersey

Thousands of people were evacuated as a fast-moving wildfire swept through a part of New Jersey.

Around 3,000 residents were advised to leave their homes on Tuesday after more than 1,300 structures were identified as being at risk, the New Jersey Fire Service said.

Officials said on Wednesday the evacuation orders had been lifted, but shelters had been set up at two schools.

The blaze in Ocean and Lacey Townships in Ocean County had only been about 10% contained by Tuesday night, officials added.

Power to about 25,000 customers was cut at the request of fire officials “for the safety of crews” working to tackle the dangerous conditions.

The cause of the fire is being investigated. There have been no reports of injuries.

A seven-mile stretch of the Garden State Parkway, one of the state’s busiest routes, was forced to close due to the conditions but has since been reopened.

The fire in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area started on Tuesday and has burned through more than 13.2 square miles (8,450 acres) of land, fire officials said.

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Debi Schaffer was caught in gridlocked traffic after evacuating with her two dogs – while her husband had stayed behind with their 22 chickens, The Press Of Atlantic City reported.

“I wanted to take them in the car with me – can you imagine 22 chickens in a car?” she told the newspaper.

She said the conditions around her home had become something “like a war zone” and described the smoke, sirens and the sound of helicopters.