Old images of drones trigger conspiracy theories about New Jersey fires

"Does anyone else think that maybe just maybe all those Drones flying around New Jersey may have had something to do with this big Forest fire going on right now," says one April 23, 2025 post on Facebook.

The post -- and other similar messages blaming drones for the historic blazes that ravaged New Jersey in April -- come after reports of unidentified aircraft flying over the northeastern state dominated social media in late 2024 and early 2025, stoking fears among residents. 

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A collage of Facebook and X posts made by AFP on April 25, 2025

Some posts have claimed these drones ignited the blazes using directed energy weapons, which harness concentrated electromagnetic energy and are being developed in the United States for drone and missile defense.

The wildfires erupted April 22 in the pine forests of New Jersey and grew to 15,000 acres, devastating one of the largest protected areas on the east coast and forcing thousands of people to flee their homes. The state was put under drought alert in March (archived here).

But the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said in an April 24 statement that "the cause of the fire was determined to be incendiary by an improperly extinguished bonfire," alleging that a 19-year-old resident set wooden pallets on fire and then left the area without it being fully extinguished.

Authorities charged the individual with aggravated arson.

New Jersey's Commissioner of Environmental Protection, Shawn LaTourette, told AFP in an April 23 email that they "have not received any credible report of mysterious drone activity and we are not aware of any legitimate evidence that suggests such activity, if it exists, is related to the cause of the Jones Road Wildfire."

The claims about directed energy weapons ignited the blazes are also baseless -- and echo conspiracy theories previously shared about similar disasters.

In an article on the technology, Iain Boyd, director of the University of Colorado's Center for National Security Initiatives explained that "the power level needed to ignite vegetation with a high-energy laser from the sky would require a large power source installed on a large aircraft" (archived here and here).

As of time of publication, 65 percent of the fire had been contained and evacuation orders fully lifted.

Old drone footage

Drones are not allowed to fly during fire emergencies. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service has repeatedly reminded its residents to refrain from flying recreational drones in fire zones. 

"Please remember, 'No Drones in Fire Zones - If YOU fly, WE can't!'" the agency said on Facebook April 25 (archived here).

The video shared in some of the posts on social media faulting drones for the fire has been online for months, reverse image searches revealed. The clip dates to at least December 2024, when public hysteria over the drone sightings peaked.

Despite assurances from the Biden administration, narratives about foreign attacks and UFOs gained massive traction in late 2024.

In December, the Department of Defense said an investigation concluded: "To date, we have no intelligence or observations that would indicate that they were aligned with a foreign actor or that they had malicious intent" (archived here).

Just after taking office, the Trump administration also responded to the situation. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said during a January 28, 2025 press briefing: "The drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) for research and various other reasons," (archived here).

"Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones," she said, adding: "It got worse due to curiosity, this was not the enemy."

AFP has previously debunked similar claims about wildfires and directed energy weapons.