A wildfire along the border of Ocean and Burlington counties is burning out of control.

Firefighters say the fire, which started Tuesday afternoon, has consumed at least 12,000 acres and will likely burn thousands more before the flames are out.

A state forester said the fire began on the Warren Grove Gunnery Range. The range is used for training and practice by the Air National Guard. A spokesman for the New Jersey Air National Guard said a flare dropped from one its F-16s may have started the blaze. Dry conditions and winds gusting to 30 miles-per-hour contributed to its rapid spread.

Neighborhoods in both Barnegat and Stafford townships were evacuated, according to the Ocean County emergency management office. At least six homes in a mobile home park in Barnegat Township were damaged. The Red Cross has set up shelters at two schools in Ocean County.

Routes 539 and 72 were closed due to the fire. Route 539 was closed in both directions between Cedar Bridge Road and the Garden State Parkway. The Garden State Parkway was closed in both directions between exits 69 and 63.

AP wire reports contributed to parts of this story.

Click here for more on the road closures and evacuations.

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