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High winds stoke New Jersey brush fires, closing part of Garden State Parkway

An Ocean County fire led to evacuations and caused damage to buildings.

Firefighters work the scene of a brush fire in Medford, NJ, Mar. 14, 2021. A resident reported that the wind picked up embers from a fire pit and spread the fire. High winds and dry conditions sparked brush fires around the state creating a challenge for crews who struggled to contain the blazes.
Firefighters work the scene of a brush fire in Medford, NJ, Mar. 14, 2021. A resident reported that the wind picked up embers from a fire pit and spread the fire. High winds and dry conditions sparked brush fires around the state creating a challenge for crews who struggled to contain the blazes.Read moreDAVE HERNANDEZ

High winds and dry conditions sparked brush fires around New Jersey on Sunday, creating a challenge for crews that struggled to contain the blazes.

A massive fire in Ocean County shut down part of the Garden State Parkway on Sunday afternoon, backing up traffic and forcing some residents to evacuate from nearby homes and stores. The fire began in Lakewood and spread to Brick, damaging buildings in the area, officials said. On Sunday evening, officials told news crews on the scene that they expected to battle the blaze through the night.

The winds fueled smaller fires elsewhere, including in Burlington County, where embers from a fire pit in Medford ignited nearby brush behind a home. Firefighters had the blaze under control quickly, officials said.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly warned of “dangerous fire weather conditions” across the state. With wind gusts up to 40 mph, most of New Jersey was placed under a fire warning set to continue into Monday.

This article contains information from the Associated Press.