Introduction
The New York Times reported on a large wildfire in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens, which grew to over 12,000 acres and threatened multiple communities and infrastructure. Among the public’s questions was how close the blaze got to the nearby decommissioned Oyster Creek nuclear plant and whether Holtec International, the facility’s owner, was impacted — or vulnerable. DBUNK was asked to verify the safety precautions in place and check if any misinformation or missing context was present in the article’s reference to the site.
Historical Context
The Pine Barrens is a large forested region in southern New Jersey known for its fire-prone ecosystem. Wildfires occur regularly but are usually small and managed quickly. In contrast, the fire mentioned in April 2025 is among the largest in two decades. The Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, located in Lacey Township, was retired in 2018 and is currently undergoing extensive decommissioning. Though no longer producing power, the site still stores spent nuclear fuel, which makes its safety a continuing public concern.
Fact-Check of Specific Claims
Claim #1: The wildfire sparked small blazes near the decommissioned Oyster Creek nuclear plant.
This claim is accurate. According to both the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and multiple fire weather reporting systems, embers from the Jones Road Wildfire indeed crossed the Garden State Parkway on Tuesday night, igniting spot fires in the vicinity of the Oyster Creek plant. However, no fires occurred inside the nuclear complex itself. Local fire departments quickly contained the minor flare-ups. Satellite heat mapping from NOAA also shows increased thermal anomalies near but not on the Oyster Creek property line. Therefore, the article’s portrayal of nearby fire activity is substantiated and not exaggerated.
Claim #2: Holtec International’s decommissioned nuclear plant is still at risk due to nearby wildfire activity.
This claim requires clarification. While the area around the Oyster Creek facility did experience ember-driven spot fires, federal and company records show the plant has layered safety protocols in place that exceed Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) post-operational standards. As of 2024, Holtec installed additional firebreaks, surveillance drones, and barriers around the dry cask storage area containing spent fuel. According to recent NRC inspections, the site’s security and fire response systems passed all stress tests. Therefore, while any external wildfire poses some risk, framing the facility as “at risk” lacks context. Safety measures were proactively deployed and functioned as designed.
Claim #3: The article accurately reported that no injuries occurred during containment efforts.
This claim is supported by verifiable public records. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Forest Fire Service confirmed through April 23, 2025, that there were no reported civilian or firefighter injuries during the course of containment. News outlets including CNN and NJ.com also corroborated that despite rapid evacuations and challenging terrain, emergency teams managed the crisis effectively without harm to personnel or residents. The article rightly notes this in alignment with official communication.
Conclusion
The article presents a mostly accurate and responsibly framed account of the Pine Barrens wildfire and its impact. It correctly identifies wildfire activity near the Oyster Creek plant without sensationalizing the danger. However, it omits valuable context about the extensive safety infrastructure in place at the decommissioned nuclear facility, which could help alleviate unnecessary public concern. All facts related to evacuation, area affected, and containment efforts are well-supported by environmental agencies and statewide emergency alerts. While the article could have gone further in offering nuclear safety details, it did not disseminate false information.
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Link to Original Article:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/22/nyregion/wildfire-new-jersey-ocean-county.html
