Yesterday, March 25, 2026, New Jersey got its first new fire tower in nearly 80 years. The tower is located in Jackson Township in northeastern NJ and provides wildfire protection for Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Named in honor of its proximity to East Veterans Highway, Veterans Fire Tower was also dedicated to NJ veterans in recognition of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Acting Commissioner Ed Potosnak and Forest Fire Service officials unveiled the new tower in an event yesterday. A demonstration involving the tower was also performed by the Forest Fire Service to educate the public on the importance of these towers. Acting Commissioner Potosnak said, “Veterans Fire Tower will strengthen the Forest Fire Service’s ability to protect an area… especially prone to wildfire.”
The tower was built by Fitzpatrick & Associates Inc. of Eatontown and cost approximately $2 million. It was constructed to replace the existing Lakewood Fire Tower, located 5 miles east, as some views from that tower “were partially obstructed by a nearby water tower”. Part of a 21-tower network across the state, Veterans Fire Tower will provide emergency services with necessary information as the state enters its “peak wildfire season,” which runs from mid-March through mid-May.
The unveiling of the new tower also serves as evidence that Governor Sherrill and her administration are actively working to increase wildfire protection for NJ citizens and their property. Within the next few weeks, the Forest Fire Service also plans to conduct “prescribed burns,” where fires are intentionally set in controlled conditions to “burn away fuel on the ground that could feed a wildfire”. Last year, “the New Jersey Forest Fire Service responded to more than 1,300 wildfires that burned more than 27,000 acres”. They hope that these controlled burns will significantly lower that number this year.
Assistant Commissioner for State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites John Cecil stated, “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. Construction of the Veterans Fire Tower is one of several recent investments in the Forest Fire Service, along with additional funding for upgraded equipment and expanded staffing.”
