An investigation into what caused the massive Jones Road Wildfire is underway, but officials have not pinpointed a cause for what could end up being one of New Jersey’s largest wildfires in two decades.

About 5,000 people evacuated on Tuesday were cleared to return home on Wednesday. Several community shelters, including two at Southern Regional and Manchester Township high schools, remain open Wednesday.

About 100 firefighters on Wednesday continued to work to contain the South Jersey blaze.

Where did the fire start?

The fire was first reported at 9:45 a.m. Tuesday from a watch tower near Barnegat Township. The fire spread throughout the day in the Greenwood Management Area.

As of Wednesday, it reached 11,500 acres in size and was 30% contained.

Investigating possible causes

Officials said Wednesday they will first work to identify where the fire started. From there, investigators will investigate possible causes. Officials haven’t determined a cause as of Wednesday.

New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette reassured state fire officials will conduct a thorough probe.

“We do investigate, and we figure out what happened, and we take action,” LaTourette said. Officials didn’t rule out any potential causes during a press briefing Wednesday.

Multiple agencies were investigating the fire, officials said.

“I’m very confident that they will come up with some sort of determination,” New Jersey Fire Chief Bill Donnelly said.

Wildfire to surpass 11,500 acres

The wildfire is expected to surpass its current size of 11,500 acres.

Firefighters will focus on containing the fire to keep it from spreading, with a focus on stopping it from spreading into unpopulated areas west of the Garden State Parkway.

Not the first wildfire to happen here

In May 2007, a wildfire near where the Jones Road Wildfire began was caused by a military exercise that ignited a fire that grew to 17,000 acres in size, Donnelly said.

The 2007 Warren Grove Wildfire in southern Ocean and Burlington counties, destroyed four homes while damaging another 50 and prompted evacuations.

State officials said the 2007 wildfire extended from the Warren Grove Bombing Range east to the Garden State Parkway in Stafford, and Route 72 south to Stafford Forge.

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Eric Conklin may be reached at [email protected].