Teen Charged with Arson for 52-Acre New Jersey Forest Fire

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EVESHAM, NJ — A juvenile has been arrested and charged in connection with a forest fire that burned 52 acres of land near Sycamore Drive and the Berlin Township border on October 30, 2024, police said.

The Evesham Police Department responded to the fire around 1 p.m. alongside the Evesham Fire Department and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service. After several days, the fire was contained without causing structural damage, according to officials.

An investigation into the fire’s cause and origin, conducted by the Evesham Police Department’s Investigative Bureau, the Evesham Fire Department, and the Forest Fire Service, determined the fire was intentionally set. Evidence led investigators to identify a juvenile suspect, who was arrested on November 7 without incident.

The juvenile has been charged with aggravated arson and causing or risking widespread injury or damage. He is currently being held at the Middlesex Juvenile Detention Center, awaiting his first court appearance.

Authorities are now investigating whether a second fire that broke out on November 7 near the same area of Sycamore Drive is connected to the October 30 incident. The November 7 fire consumed 375 acres but, like the earlier blaze, caused no structural damage. It was extinguished after several days by the Evesham Fire Department and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.