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JACKSON TOWNSHIP, NJ A 37-year-old man from Brick Township has been charged with arson and firearms violations in connection with a wildfire that burned nearly 350 acres in Jackson Township, Ocean County authorities announced Friday.

As first reported by Shore News Network, the fire was caused by a man using illegal incendiary ammunition at a local rifle range.

Richard Shashaty was charged following an extensive investigation by multiple law enforcement and environmental agencies. The fire, which started on Nov. 6 near the Central Jersey Rifle Range on Stump Tavern Road, prompted a major emergency response by local fire departments and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.

The fire closed Cedar Swamp Road for days and put dozens of homes at extreme risk during the fire. As the fire approached, families had to be evacuated.

The fire was reported around 12:15 a.m. that day, according to the Jackson County Police Department. Response teams worked to control the fire, which spread over hundreds of acres due to dry conditions and strong winds. Authorities determined the source of the fire was behind an embankment in the southwest corner of the rifle range where incendiary ammunition was discharged.

Fortunately, crews from local fire companies and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service were able to bring the fire under control, preventing a possible tragic scenario.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, determined that the fire was caused by a “Dragon’s Breath” 12-gauge shotgun shell containing magnesium particles that can ignite flammable materials. The use of incendiary or tracer bullets is prohibited in New Jersey. Shastaty’s actions were deemed negligent due to the increased risk of wildfire publicly available at the time of the incident.

The Central Jersey Rifle and Pistol Club, which operates the range, expressly prohibits the use of any illegal firearms and ammunition.

“Through a coordinated investigation, it was determined that Mr. Shashaty was responsible for firing the prohibited ammunition that ignited the fire,” Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said in a statement.

On November 9, Shashaty surrendered to authorities at the Jackson County Police Headquarters along with his attorney. He was later transported to the Ocean County Jail where he is being held pending a detention hearing.

The wildfire investigation involved multiple agencies, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Arson Team, the New Jersey State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, among others.

This video shows an example of dragon breath ammunition and is unrelated to this incident.