Crews battling wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey

JACKSON TWP., New Jersey (WPVI) — The New Jersey Forest Fire Service is responding to a wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey.

The blaze broke out on Tuesday afternoon in the area of East Commodore Boulevard and Cedar Swamp Road in Jackson Township.

Chopper 6 was overhead as smoke billowed from a wooded area of the township.

No injuries have been reported.

Officials are still assessing the fire and ask that people avoid the area.

The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of the Garden State and Pennsylvania.

The warning, which expires at 8 p.m. Tuesday, means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now, or will shortly due to a combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and dry fuels.

There are also Stage 2 and Stage 3 fire restrictions in place statewide until further notice:

FIRE RESTRICTIONS

NORTHERN NJ – Stage 3 Fire Restrictions

COUNTIES: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Warren, Hopewell Township in Mercer County, Union, Hunterdon, Middlesex (north of Raritan River)

CENTRAL NJ – Stage 3 Fire Restrictions

COUNTIES: Burlington, Monmouth, Ocean, Middlesex (south of the Raritan River), Mercer County except Hopewell Township

SOUTHERN NJ – Stage 2 Fire Restrictions

COUNTIES: Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Salem

Stage 3 Fire Restrictions:

-All fires in wooded areas are prohibited unless contained in an elevated stove using only propane, natural gas, gas, or electricity.

-No charcoal fires are allowed.

Stage 2 Fire Restrictions:

-All fires in wooded areas will be prohibited unless in an elevated prepared fireplace, elevated charcoal grill or stove using electricity or a liquid or gas fuel.

-An elevated prepared fireplace must meet the following criteria: constructed of steel, stone, brick or concrete, elevated at least one foot above the ground and surrounded by a mineral soil radius no less than ten feet