Jackson Township, NJ – The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection has dedicated the new Veterans Fire Tower in Jackson Township, marking the first new fire tower constructed in New Jersey in 78 years and expanding the state’s ability to detect wildfires across Ocean and Monmouth counties.
The 133-foot tower, located at the Forest Resource Education Center and State Tree Nursery off East Veterans Highway, replaces the former Lakewood Fire Tower and is expected to provide earlier wildfire detection for an area home to more than 516,000 residents and nearly 200,000 homes.
Acting DEP Commissioner Ed Potosnak said the investment comes as the state enters peak wildfire season and continues expanding its wildfire prevention efforts.
“Veterans Fire Tower will strengthen the Forest Fire Service’s ability to protect an area of Ocean and Monmouth counties especially prone to wildfire,” Potosnak said. “DEP is delivering this tower as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce wildfire risk through public education and awareness, and prescribed fire operations as the Forest Fire Service enters peak wildfire season.”
New tower replaces century-old Lakewood site
The Veterans Fire Tower replaces the Lakewood Fire Tower after the Forest Fire Service’s 100-year lease on that property expired in 2024.
Officials said the Jackson location also provides a better vantage point after views from the Lakewood tower became partially blocked by a nearby water tower.
In 2024, the Lakewood Fire Tower was decommissioned and dismantled. It was replaced roughly five miles to the west by the new Veterans Fire Tower in Jackson Township.
The original 1944 Lakewood Fire Tower was taken out of service in July 2024 after its 100-year lease on the private land expired and the landowner requested its removal.
The project cost approximately $2 million and was constructed by Fitzpatrick & Associates Inc. of Eatontown using constitutionally dedicated Corporate Business Tax funding through the Preserve New Jersey Act.
Named for its location along East Veterans Highway, the tower is also dedicated to New Jersey veterans in recognition of the nation’s 250th anniversary.
“As we mark the 250th anniversary of our nation, it is especially meaningful to see this tower dedicated to New Jersey’s veterans who have committed their lives to protecting others,” said New Jersey Department of Veterans Affairs Commissioner Vincent Solomeno.
Fire towers remain the first line of defense
Although wildfire detection technology has advanced significantly over the past century, state officials say trained observers stationed in fire towers remain New Jersey’s most effective early warning system.
Fire observers continuously monitor weather conditions, scan for smoke and work with neighboring towers to triangulate wildfire locations before dispatching firefighters.
According to the Forest Fire Service, observers frequently identify and report fires several minutes before the first 911 call is received from the public.
“Having started my career as a fire observer in a tower and later serving as a field firewarden, I know how critical the information relayed from fire observers is to crews on the ground when every second counts to save lives and property,” said Forest Fire Service Chief Bill Donnelly.
“The Veterans Fire Tower serves an area of the state with a significant amount of wildland-urban interface, which is where human development is intertwined with the forest, making the tower a vital tool to keep the public safe.”
Assistant Commissioner John Cecil noted New Jersey continues experiencing more days with weather conditions favorable for wildfires.
“As New Jersey continues to see the effects of climate change, including an increase in the number of annual fire weather days, it is more important than ever to ensure we have eyes in the sky protecting New Jerseyans from wildfire,” Cecil said.
New Jersey’s forests remain especially vulnerable
The Veterans Fire Tower becomes the 21st tower in New Jersey’s statewide wildfire detection network.
Officials said the state’s southern forests contain some of the nation’s most volatile vegetation, with fuels comparable to the chaparral landscapes found in California and southern Oregon.
Large portions of Ocean County and surrounding communities are considered part of the wildland-urban interface, where neighborhoods and commercial development border heavily wooded areas, increasing the risk that wildfires could threaten homes and businesses.
Prior to the Veterans Fire Tower, the last fire tower built in New Jersey was the Medford Fire Tower in Burlington County in 1948.
Prescribed burns underway statewide
The dedication coincided with a demonstration of the Forest Fire Service’s prescribed burning program, which is designed to reduce vegetation that fuels large wildfires.
This year, the Forest Fire Service hopes to treat approximately 25,000 acres of forests, grasslands and marshes through controlled burns, weather permitting.
The goal represents a significant increase from 2025, when prolonged drought conditions allowed crews to complete prescribed burns on just 3,958 acres, the lowest annual total in the past 25 years.
“Prescribed fire remains one of the most effective tools to reduce wildfire risk and maintain healthy forest ecosystems,” said Greg McLaughlin, Administrator for Forests & Natural Lands. “When conditions allow, these carefully planned burns help protect communities while supporting the long-term health of New Jersey’s forests.”
Most prescribed burning occurs within the Pinelands, where fire plays an essential role in maintaining healthy forests. Pitch pine trees, one of the region’s signature species, rely on intense heat to open their cones and release seeds, while also possessing the ability to regenerate from their roots after a fire.
Motorists are advised to use caution when traveling near prescribed burn operations, obey reduced speed limits and watch for Forest Fire Service personnel and equipment. Residents who see smoke and are unsure whether it is part of a prescribed burn or an actual wildfire are encouraged to call 1-877-WARN-DEP or 911.
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Veterans Fire Tower, Jackson Township, New Jersey Forest Fire Service, Ed Potosnak, Bill Donnelly, John Cecil, Vincent Solomeno, Greg McLaughlin, Ocean County, Monmouth County, prescribed fire, wildfire prevention, New Jersey wildfires
