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New Jersey Forest Fire Service is making progress containing a wildfire burning in Ocean & Lacey Townships, Ocean County.

SIZE & CONTAINMENT
11,500 acres
30% contained

STRUCTURES THREATENED
20 structures threatened
Evacuations are 100% lifted for the approximately 5,000 residents evacuated on April 22 in Lacey and Ocean Townships.

PROPERTY DAMAGE
1 commercial building destroyed
Multiple outbuilding and vehicles destroyed
A complete damage assessment is underway

ROADS AFFECTED
Rt. 532 (Wells Mills Road) between Rt. 72 and the Garden State Parkway
Bryant Road is closed between Wells Mills Road (Rt. 532) and Rt. 539
Jones Road is closed between Rt. 532 and Bryant Road
Garden State Parkway and Route 9 are REOPENED in both travel directions

RESOURCES DEPLOYED
Forest Fire Service fire engines, bulldozers, aircraft and ground crews
Numerous local fire, rescue, county and state cooperators

FIRE CAUSE
Under investigation

NEXT UPDATE
Approximately 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 23

NO DRONES IN FIRE ZONES
Please remember, “No Drones in Fire Zones - If YOU fly, WE can't!” More info: https://www.facebook.com/NJForestFireService/posts/pfbid02XeCUXmgBdqXSqbZE3d3roqQb3EFkkFKRD9xkav4VYaHKWzL4Mym9HoVHMdPGUpvwl

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Helpful Wildfire Terminology
Wildfire - An uncontrolled fire burning the different types of vegetation that cover the land. A wildfire is considered a “major wildfire” after it exceeds 100 acres in size.
Containment - When reporting on a wildfire a percentage of containment will be given, which will state how much of the fireline has been completed.
Backfire - A fire intentionally set along the interior edge of a fireline by Forest Fire Service staff to consume fuel in the path of a wildfire and/or to change the direction of force of a fire’s convection column.
Fireline - The part of a containment or control line that is scraped or dug to mineral soil.
Threatened - Critical infrastructure, roads, homes and commercial buildings that are in the vicinity of a wildfire.

#NJFFS #NJForestFireService #NewJerseyDEP

Barnegat's Vietnam War Veterans Day – 2025 Summary
Friday, March 28, 2025
Barnegat High School
180 Bengal Blvd
Barnegat, NJ 08005
 Ceremony: 3-4pm BHS main gym
 Informal Reception: 4-5pm BHS cafeteria
*New items for this year are highlighted in yellow
Ceremony – Roads, Entrances, Hallways, Gym – 3-4pm
Barnegat Police Department
Electronic signs on roads for whole week. Will be on site directing traffic and patrolling area.
Barnegat High School
Golf cart will be available to help less mobile attendees get from car to entrance.
Barnegat Volunteer Fire Company
Will have their hook & ladder truck flying their giant American flag at the entrance to the school
Restored military jeep
Quintessential “Jeep” of the Vietnam War will be on display at front of school for entirety of event (different model from
previous years)
Flag flying over BHS
Flown over U.S. Capitol in honor of our event. Courtesy of Senator Andy Kim.
Youth involvement
 Barnegat Township School District
o Barnegat High School (grades 9-12)
 NJROTC cadets - Color Guard, event support, etc.
 Select Choir - National Anthem and God Bless America
 Marching Band - Armed Forces Medley
 Marching Band senior, Bradley D’Aloia - TAPS
o Brackman Middle School (grades 7 & 8)
 Student Council & Art Club - decorating hallways
 7th grader, Vincent Lorenzo - Pledge of Allegiance (was our 2022 Keynote Speaker, grandson of
3x Purple Heart recipient from the Vietnam War)
o Horbelt Intermediate School (grades 5 & 6)
 Student Council & PROS (Peers Reaching Out to Students) - members leaving school early and
getting bused to BHS at 1:45pm to line BHS hallways for “clap-in”, welcoming all attendees
walking by with applause & cheering
 Other school districts
o Seton Hall University
 Color Guard & event support; cadets are en route to a senior year staff ride to Vietnam to analyze
and learn about military decisions made during Vietnam War
o Central Regional High School
 Color Guard & event support; will be bussing 25-50 cadets to BHS; will be mirroring efforts to
expand support
o Southern Regional High School
 Color Guard & event support
Speakers
 Pastor Glenn Swank - Barnegat Bay Assembly of God - opening and closing prayers
 Al Cirulli - Barnegat Mayor
 Dr. Brian Latwis - Barnegat Superintendent of Schools
 Guest Speakers
 Tammy Nicolini - BHS Girls Basketball Head Coach – Vietnam War baby
 Khai Le - Vietnamese POW living in LBI; trained at Ft. Benning in GA to transfer knowledge to
Vietnamese soldiers
 Destiny Nguyen – Born the day Saigon fell, on April 30, 1975; father was POW for 10 years since
worked with CIA as part of Phoenix Program; nationally known reporter for Vietnamese news agencies,
devoted to restoring and giving honor to Vietnam veterans
 Keynote Speaker
 Commander Hugh Doyle – Chief Engineer on USS Kirk, ship that saved hundreds of Vietnamese
refugees when Saigon fell, and escorted South Vietnamese ships carrying 33,000 refugees escaping
Vietnam to freedom, including the ship I (Thy Cavagnaro) was on!
Memorial Flag Folding Ceremony
 Performed by New Jersey Army National Guard’s Honor Guard
 Flag recipient (representing all families of those lost)
o Gold Star Daughter, Maureen Hickman Caporaso
 Father was Captain Vincent Joseph Hickman, shot down and Killed in Action/Body Never
Recovered (KIA/BNR) in Vietnam
Memorial wreath
Will be on display inside gym at event, and then placed at monument at conclusion of activities that day.
Created by Rose Garden Florist in Barnegat.
Informal Reception - Cafeteria – 4-5pm
To be distributed
 600 Commemorative DoD lapel pins
o 3 Vietnamese Military Officers will be presenting pins to Vietnam veterans
 Major Thuoc Nguyen (POW – 10 years)
 Captain Chinh Tran (POW – 8 years)
 Commander Tan van Tran
 Hundreds of Vietnam War car bumper magnets & tin pins
 Literature on Vietnam War 50th Anniversary Commemoration
 
Food/drinks
 Pizza
o Vinnie’s Italian Restaurant & Pizzeria
 Subs & sandwiches
o Jersey Mike’s
o Nutri-Serve
o Barnegat Rotary
 Cookies & brownies
o LBI Rotary
 Soft pretzels
o Wawa
 Coffee, drinks
o Wawa
Veterans Service Organizations
 American Legion - Dept of NJ
 Community Hope's Supportive Services for Veteran Families
 DAV-NJ (Disabled American Veterans - NJ)
 DMAVA (New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs)
 Ocean County Veterans Service Bureau
 VA/VetCenter
 VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) - Dept of NJ
 
 
Event Co-hosts and resources
 Barnegat American Legion Post 232
 Barnegat VFW Post 10092
 Barnegat School District
 Barnegat Police
 Barnegat Township

In this engaging episode of "Jersey Shore Spotlight," host Bill Clanton welcomes Major General Kris Belanger to the studio for a deep dive into the vital roles and responsibilities of the 99th Readiness Division. Stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, General Belanger oversees a crucial network spanning 13 states, responsible for managing over 600 Army Reserve buildings and modern military equipment. As a New Jersey native, General Belanger shares personal anecdotes, reflecting on her return to the area and her military journey that began right here at Fort Dix. The episode also explores the transformative impact of the Army Reserve on both individual lives and broader community support, especially in times of domestic emergencies like Superstorm Sandy. Tune in to discover how military experiences enhance civilian opportunities and the significant role of the P3 program in bridging military and civilian employment gaps. A must-listen for those interested in how military and community intertwine at the Jersey Shore.