On April 22nd, 2025 the Waretown Fire Company was dispatched to an active forest fire in the area of RT. 532 and Jones Road.
New Jersey Forest Fire Service had already been on location and set up a command post at the Wells Mills Park.

The Zone 5 forest fire plan was activated and Waretown Chief 3600 and Deputy Chief 3610 responded to the command post and assumed Structural Protection Incident Command.

Working closely with New Jersey Forest Fire Service Command. Structural Protection Strike Teams from all Ocean County were formed and deployed to homes and businesses immediately threatened by the rapidly growing and moving fire. As the incident progressed additional resources were called. A total of 30 Structural Protection Strike Teams were deployed ahead of the fire to multiple homes and businesses in both Ocean and Lacey Township that were immediately threatened.

Approximately 7 counties sent 164 fire apparatus and over 460 structural firefighters to assist us. Those assets were rapidly deployed multiple times, tracked and managed at the command post and Staging Area.

Over the course of 2 days those firefighters from Waretown, Lacey and all others who responded protected life, homes and businesses directly in the fires path. They fought multiple vehicle fires, unfortunately one large business fire in Lacey Township and chased down multiple fires near those homes and businesses. They worked tirelessly for the communities and residents they served and most refused to be rotated out or go home and sleep.

While this Incident was ongoing almost all our agencies also responded other non-forest fire and forest fire related calls without missing a beat.

Multiple evacuations and road closures were announced and ZERO residential homes were lost due to fire and ZERO civilian injuries were reported.

Chief Shane Leaming would like to thank Forked River Fire Department, Lanoka Harbor Vol. Fire Co. #1 all the mutual aid firefighters, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Ocean Township Police Department and all other Law enforcement agencies that assisted, Waretown First Aid Squad, Ocean County EMS Coordinators and all EMS providers, the Ocean County Fire Marshals, the Township of Ocean Committee and everyone who assisted and donated during the incident.