DUI Lawyers in Toms River, NJ

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, New Jersey (WABC) -- A wildfire in New Jersey has exploded to over 13,250 acres after igniting Tuesday in Ocean County and threatening, at one point, more than 1,000 structures, shutting down a major highway and causing thousands of people to flee the flames.

The Jones Road Wildfire was 50% contained on Wednesday evening, with 12 structures threatened, officials said. They say one commercial structure has been completely destroyed.

Despite the progress, Shawn LaTourette, New Jersey's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, said fire officials expect the blaze to grow and that it could turn out to be the largest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years.

"Thanks to the incredible, heroic work of the good men and women of our New Jersey fire service folks, homes and lives have been saved and we truly averted a major disaster," LaTourette said.

LaTourette said that no injuries have been reported.

Crews are continuing to work to contain the fire, and will work into the night, New Jersey Forest Fire Chief Bill Donnelly said. Officials stressed that until they see rainfall in the region, the wildfire threat will continue.

"New Jersey has some of the most volatile wildland fuels in the entire country. You know, everybody's used to seeing California," Donnelly said. "Well, these pine barrens out here are the exact same type of fuel model. They are just like having napalms spread across the ground."

Smoke was expected to reach other parts of the Tri-State area later Wednesday.

Eyewitness News Meteorologist Brittany Bell explains the wildfire risk to the Tri-State area and when firefighters will get some relief via rain.

Fanned by dry vegetation and low relative humidity, the fire was first reported in Ocean County at 9:45 a.m. ET on Tuesday and exploded overnight from a few hundred acres to 8,500, according to the Forest Fire Service.

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way, who is serving as acting governor while Gov. Phil Murphy is out of the country, declared a state of emergency in Ocean County on Wednesday morning, freeing up resources to battle the blaze.

The fire is located south of Toms River along the Garden State Parkway. At one point on Tuesday evening, flames jumped the parkway, prompting officials to close it and bringing one of New Jersey's busiest roads to a halt. The parkway and Route 9 have since reopened in both directions.

About 5,000 residents were forced to evacuate. Debbie Schaffer, of Waretown, was one of those who had to leave.

"It's a little scary... like I didn't have an emergency bag packed, so I was kind of walking in circles knowing I had to get out of there, but trying to think, 'What do I need?'" she recalled.

The area had been under a severe drought until recently, when early spring rains helped dampen the region, but officials cautioned recent low humidity and a dry stretch have heightened the risk of fire.

The Jersey Central Power and Light Company cut power to about 25,000 customers at the request of the Forest Fire Service and the wildfire's command post Tuesday evening, including thousands in Barnegat Township. A spokesman for the company said Wednesday that some customers could have power restored later in the day.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The site of the fire is near an alpaca farm. The farm said in a Facebook post that the property wasn't threatened and all of the animals were safe.

The Associated Press and ABC News contributed to this report.

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TOMS RIVER, NJ — Dom Innarella says he's been singing as long as he can remember.

"Since I could talk," the 14-year-old from Toms River said during a break in signing autographs at Charlie's Pizzeria on a Saturday afternoon.

"I love to perform," he said. His passion can be seen in his many videos posted on his TikTok account, where he has more than 403,000 followers, and his Instagram account, where he has nearly 160,000 followers.

Many of his videos are covers of songs by other artists, including Justin Bieber, Adele, Coldplay and Teddy Swims. He's met and sung for Usher, a video that racked up more than 4 million views.

Recently, however, Dom released the first song he has written and performed. "Bout Me" rose to No. 3 on Spotify’s Viral 50 chart within three weeks of its release, and has racked up more than 4.2 million views.

Find out what's happening in Toms Riverfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

It also has helped Dom get signed to a contract with Republic Records, which is promoting him as "a rising young superstar" and "overnight sensation."

It's not the first brush with internet fame for the young man, however. Readers may remember him from the "Finding Nemo Jr." TikTok promo for the Brick Children's Community Theatre, where his performance of "Where's My Dad" in 2023 spawned dozens of memes and was viewed millions of times.

Dom, who was celebrating the recording contract with family and friends at Charlie's, said he got his start singing while sitting at the dining room table with his family, including parents Steven and Marie and brothers Nick and Anthony. His participation in the Brick Children's Community Theatre group fed his passion for being in front of a microphone, not only in a studio but as part of his school's chorus; a video of his performance in December gained more than 6 million views.

It's a talent and a love he inherited; his grandfather, Rich Lombard, performed doo-wop with a group named The Elaborates. Dom's father, Steven, sang R&B with a group named Gifted, he said.

Dom's covers have pulled in millions of views, with his cover "Take A Seat on the Rap Beat" garnering more than 12 million views across all of his platforms, Republic's senior publicity manager said.

While "Bout Me" is his debut single, Dom said he has written 15 songs so far. He has been recording in a studio since August 2024, he said, and with the recent signing with Republic looks forward to putting more of his own music out for his fans.

Even with the quick growth in his popularity, Dom remained polite and humble, signing autograph after autograph on pizza boxes provided by Charlie's and posing for multiple photos, never in a rush and thanking each person who asked for his time.

You can follow him on Spotify as well.

On Tuesday, a wildfire broke out in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Barnegat Township. The fire has since spread to more than 1,200 acres, with 0 percent contained, according to an article by NJ Advance Media.

The north and southbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway around Exit 69 in Waretown have been closed as of 5 p.m., according to a post by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. The lanes around Exit 80 in South Toms River and all entrances and exits to the Garden State Parkway in Stafford Township have also been closed, according to the article.

According to the article, 16 structures have been evacuated along Bryant Road and Wells Mills Road in Ocean Township. Wells Mills Road between Route 72 and the Garden State Parkway, Bryant Road between Wells Mills Road and Route 539 and Jones Road between Route 532 and Bryant Road have all been closed as a result of the fire.

NJ Advance Media reported that additional evacuations have been issued in the Barnegat neighborhoods Windward, Mirage, Pheasant Run, Heritage Point North, Brookeville and the houses on West Bay Avenue. Evacuations have also taken place in Lacey Township in the southern sections of the Barnegat Pines.

Another post by the New Jersey Forest Fire Service has stated that the cause of the fire is currently under investigation. According to NJ Advance Media, resources being used to combat the fire include a helicopter able to drop 300 gallons of water, a contact air tanker able to drop 600 gallons of water and backfiring operations.

This is a developing story. Additional information can be found at NJ Advance Media.

Local business closings have been a huge problem near the Jersey Shore over the past couple of years, and now it looks like a highly visible and popular diner has closed its doors for good, leaving the community stunned.

But you know what they say, when one door, or diner in this case, closes, another local business can open.

This comes as a shock.

I was a big fan of this place, it's close to our studios in downtown Toms River, and it was one of the first diners I ate at when my wife and I moved to Jersey about four years ago.

But according to the local Facebook Page Tri-County Scanner News, it appears as though the Crystal Diner off 37 in Toms River is officially closed for business

I didn't believe it at first, but I had to drive by myself to check it out, and it seems to be true; there are two big blue signs draped over the side of the building, saying that Gal Mediterranean Cuisine is coming soon.

The details are still a little bit fuzzy, however, it appears as though Toms River will be getting a new Mediterranean restaurant.

Over the past few years, Toms River and the surrounding area have seen an increase in Mediterranean spots.

You May Also Like: 2 NJ Towns Named The State's Most "Unconventional"

For example, Samara Grill opened in Seaside Heights a while back, and even expanded into Toms River, opening a location off 37 as well.

No word on an opening date for Gal Mediterranean Cuisine, and although I'm sad to see the Crystal Diner close its doors, I'm excited to see how this new restaurant does.

A raging wildfire broke out across 8,500 acres in New Jersey on Tuesday, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate their homes and shuttering a large stretch of the state’s busiest highway.

Firefighters were battling the Jones Road Wildfire, which was burning over about 13 square miles, through the night after it broke out at 11 a.m. in Lacey and Ocean townships in Ocean County — utilizing fire engines, bulldozers, air support and ground crews, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Despite the massive response, the blaze roared on and was just 10% contained as of 10:46 p.m. Roughly 3,000 residents were under evacuation orders and 1,320 homes and buildings were threatened by encroaching sparks, the fire service reported.

Emergency shelters were organized for those forced to flee their homes — in areas near portions of Routes 532, 539, 72 and 9, officials said.

Road closures are also in effect Tuesday night all across the county, including for 17 miles of the Garden State Parkway, Route 9, Route 532, Lakeside Drive, Jones Road, Bryant Road and Route 72, according to the state forest fire agency.

About 25,000 homes and businesses are without power in the area as Jersey Central Power & Light cut electricity in the area to protect responding firefighters, according to a statement.

“Safety is our top priority and all restoration timing will be determined by the safety of firefighters, our crews and the public. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time,” the company said in the statement.

Photos show the flames ripping through wooded areas along the New Jersey highway, with dark smoke blotting out the sky on the otherwise beautiful day.

Drought levels in Ocean County are “abnormally dry” to “moderately dry,” according to the US Drought Monitor.

There are no known injuries as a result of the fire.

The cause of the Jones Road Wildfire is under investigation.