New Jersey forest fire prompts thousands of evacuations and closes a major highway

A fast-moving wildfire burning in New Jersey on Tuesday forced thousands of people to evacuate and closed a stretch of a major highway.

The Garden State Parkway, one of New Jersey's busiest highways, was closed between Barnegat and Lacey townships, according to the New Jersey Fire Service.

More than 1,300 structures were threatened and about 3,000 residents were evacuated, the fire service said. Shelters were open at two high schools, according to the Barnegat Police Department.