A 17-year-old boy was charged with aggravated arson and hindering apprehension Wednesday for helping to ignite the fire that has burned more than 15,000 acres (23 square miles, or slightly larger than Manhattan Island), according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

He is not being identified because he is a minor.

Police say the teen helped Joseph Kling, 19, set wooden pallets on fire and that he lied to police about how the fire started.

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