A New Jersey teenager has been charged with arson in connection with a wildfire in the Pinelands region that has already scorched 15,000 acres and could grow into the largest blaze in the state since 2007.
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00:00A New Jersey teenager has been charged with arson in connection with a wildfire in the
00:06Pinelands region that has already scorched 15,000 acres and could grow into the largest
00:12blaze in the state since 2007.
00:15The Jones Road wildfire began on Tuesday morning in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management
00:20Area, located in Ocean County.
00:23Officials said the fire was sparked by a bonfire that wasn't properly extinguished.
00:27But we did arrest a 19-year-old young man from Weartown, his name is Joseph Kling.
00:35We believe he is the person responsible for starting this fire and we intend to prosecute
00:40him to the fullest extent of the law.
00:43We used some investigative techniques that I don't necessarily want to disclose at this
00:46time, but some technological advances I can say publicly that we were able to place him
00:53at the scene and we have some witness statements that corroborate that.
00:57I'm not prepared to discuss the motive at this time, nor does the state have to prove
01:03what the motive is.
01:05We can just confidently say that we think the fire was set intentionally.
01:09As of Wednesday evening, the fire was reported to be 50 percent contained, with help expected
01:15from weekend rainfall.
01:17Kling, an Ocean County resident, was taken into custody at the Township Police Headquarters
01:22and later transferred to the Ocean County Jail, where he awaits a detention hearing.
01:27I won't be aware of that.
01:37I will be aware of that.