The massive New Jersey wildfire that has burned more than 13,000 acres in Ocean County has triggered an air quality health advisory for the New York City area.

The Jones Road Wildfire, first reported around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, prompted mandatory evacuations and led the state to declare a state of emergency on Wednesday.

The blaze was initially detected in Barnegat Township, approximately 90 miles south of Midtown Manhattan. By late Wednesday night, it had grown to 13,250 acres and was about 50% contained, according to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

Heavy smoke from the fire is now expected to affect the air quality in and around the Big Apple, forecasters said.

According to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Air Quality Index (AQI) for the area is expected to reach unhealthy levels on Thursday.

Ranging from 0 to 500, the AQI is used to measure air pollution levels and to alert the public when pollutant levels may make the air hazardous to health.

When levels are between 101 and 150, air is considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups.”

In a Thursday morning update, health officials warned that the AQI for fine particulate matter in the New York City metro area (the five boroughs, Rockland and Westchester counties), as well as Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, was expected to fall within that unhealthy range.

Particulate matter is defined as a mixture of solid particles and liquids in the air that, when inhaled, could potentially lead to “serious health problems like difficulty breathing, heart and lung damage.” 

While the general public is less likely to be affected by such levels, individuals in “sensitive groups” are urged to avoid strenuous outdoor physical activities and watch for symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath.

Sensitive groups include children and teens, older adults, pregnant individuals, people with preexisting respiratory problems such as asthma or heart disease, individuals in disadvantaged communities, as well as anyone who exercises or works outdoors.

The advisory will remain in effect through midnight on Thursday, officials said.

The Jones Road Wildfire may “end up being the largest wildfire in New Jersey in 20 years, according to New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection, Shawn LaTourette

While evacuation orders were lifted Wednesday morning, the area remains under a state of emergency.

On Thursday, state officials announced the arrest of a 19-year-old man on charges of aggravated arson and arson in connection with the historic fire.

Investigators believe Joseph Kling, of Ocean Township, “was the individual responsible for setting wooden pallets on fire — and then leaving the area without the fire being fully extinguished.”