Joseph Kling, 19, is accused of causing one of NJ’s worst wildfires in the past 20 years by not properly extinguishing a bonfire. (Ocean County Department of Corrections)

WARETOWN, NJ — A 19-year-old from Waretown who was burning pallets is accused of igniting the wildfire that’s burned through about 15,000 acres of Pinelands in Southern Ocean County, authorities said Thursday.

Joseph Kling was charged with arson and aggravated arson on April 23 in connection with the Jones Road Wildfire, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette and Township of Ocean Police Chief Michal Rogalski said in a joint release.

A multi-department investigation discovered the cause of the fire to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire.

Kling had been setting wooden pallets on fire – and then left the area without the fire being fully extinguished, authorities said.

That bonfire has now become one of the biggest wildfires New Jersey has seen in the past 20 years.

Kling was taken into custody in Waretown and transferred to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains pending a detention hearing.

Additional reporting:

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