Weather conditions are improving Wednesday as firefighters continue to battle a still-growing wildfire that’s burned more than 12,000 acres in southern New Jersey since it ignited on Tuesday, prompted more than 3,

A wildfire in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area near Barnegat Township, New Jersey, has burned 8,500 acres and is only 10% contained. The Jones Road Wildfire, which erupted Tuesday, prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents and forced the closure of a major stretch of highway as thick smoke drifted across the Jersey Shore.

With traffic routes like the Garden State Parkway, Route 9 and Route 532 closed, cars are at a standstill across parts of Ocean County.