The New Jersey authorities presented charges to a second person for the forest fire caused in the natural area Pine Barrens, which has become the second largest fire in the state in almost two decades.
The prosecutors indicated on Friday that a 17 -year -old teenager was arrested and accused of fire, aggravated fire and obstruction of apprehension. His name was not revealed because he is a minor.
The flames, which have been burning for almost two weeks, are contained in 80%, according to the State Fire Forest Service. The fire in the Ocean County, in the south of New Jersey, has spread over 62 square kilometers (24 square miles). They have not reported injured.
A 19 -year -old teenager from Waretown was accused of fire caused a week ago. The prosecutors claim that Joseph Kling set fire to Palés de Madera and abandoned the area. On Friday, prosecutors added that Kling and other people took the pallets of a recycling center, led to a densely wooded area and used gasoline to start the fire.
Kling’s lawyer said at a detention hearing on Friday that Kling did not intend to cause forest fire or destroy any property.
The Pine Barrens area is between Philadelphia and the Atlantic coast, a region with rapid drain sandy soil and trees with leaves still in development, where winds can take strength, drying the forest floor.
Firefighters have been dealing with low moisture and sequelae of a drought of several months.
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This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool.
