Both of the brush fires that burned several hundred acres of woods in Ocean County are being investigated as arson.

Fire in Beachwood seen from Toms River
Fire in Beachwood seen from Toms River (Dianne DeOliveira, Townsquare Media NJ)
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According to The Asbury Park Press, an investigation has concluded the Beachwood fire was as a result of by improperly discarded smoking materials and ruled accidental. The second fire that flared up later in the afternoon in Berkeley, dubbed the Crossroads Wildfire, was intentionally set on the side of an unpaved road with a flame and a pile of dry leaves and flammable debris.

Sources tell Townsquare Media that both fires are being investigated as arson.

Hundreds of firefighters responded to the fires which forced 621 homes to temporarily be evacuated as a precaution.No homes were heavily damaged with

The state was under a Red Flag Warning the day of the fires as gusty winds, dry leaves and low relative humidity helped fuel a number of brush fires around New Jersey.

Tom Mongelli and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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