Ocean County prosecutors have charged 19-year-old Joseph Kling with starting one of New Jersey's worst wildfires in 20 years, which is still burning and has now grown to more than 15,000 acres in size across Waretown and Lacey Townships.

The fire spread quickly and destroyed buildings and vehicles after authorities said a bonfire was improperly extinguished.

Authorities say a man set wooden pallets on fire and failed to properly put them out in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, sparking a quick-moving wildfire with smoke affecting the air quality in the New York City area.