2 wildfires still burn near NC 80 Dec. 4, Black Bear Fire grows after little rainfall

ASHEVILLE — Following a weekend of humid weather with some showers, two fires burning in the McDowell County area of Pisgah National Forest have remained around the same size, while firefighters have made strides in containing the fires.

U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Jenifer Bunty told the Citizen Times Dec. 4 that the Locust Cove Fire No. 2, burning in the Sunnyvale area of McDowell County, has remained at 165 acres since Dec. 2. Containment on the fire increased to 45%, up from 25% on Dec. 2.

During this phase of operations, firefighters are working on containment lines along the ridgeline above Clear Creek Road, according to Bunty. The fire started Nov. 29 within the fire scar of a previous fire from March, and the ignition source is unknown.

Last update: WNC wildfire update: What to know about fires in McDowell and Haywood counties

Similarly, Clear Creek Fire near N.C. 80, south of Lake Tahoma in McDowell County, remains around 126 acres, Bunty said. Containment also went up about 20% since Dec. 2, currently sitting at 60%.

“They’re sort of finalizing that direct line on the east side of the fire today,” Bunty said. “They did fly a drone and got some infrared imaging that said there is some heat on the interior of that fire. They think it’s mostly from those really heavy fuels like big, downed logs and tree stumps that are smoldering.”

No structures have been threatened or damaged by either fire, Bunty said, and there have been no injuries reported. There are no current closures in place. The Clear Creek Fire began on private land on Nov. 30.

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These fires are being fought under a unified command, with 61 firefighters assigned to the Clear Creek Fire and 40 on the Locust Cove No. 2 Fire.

“We are hoping to get a little bit more rain here as we get into the end of the week, with a cold front coming in,” Bunty said.

Black Bear Fire

While most of the larger fires that raged throughout Western North Carolina this fall have abated, the Black Bear Fire in the Haywood County region of Pisgah National Forest has grown 120 acres since Dec. 2 to about 2,008 acres. Containment remains at 90%, according to a news release from the U.S. Forest Service.

“Crews today are focused on cold trailing fire lines, working to extinguish any burning or smoldering materials near the fire’s edge,” the release said. “Treating those hotspots reduces the threat of fire crossing containment lines.”

About 36 firefighters are currently responding to the fire, according to the forest service.

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While a cold front arriving midweek may bring some rain to the fire area, this stretch of fire did not receive as much precipitation over the weekend as surrounding areas, the release said. Ridgetops remain particularly dry, with heavy fuels inside the fire continuing to hold heat. These fuels may spread the fire if pushed by strong winds, according to the release.

“Forest visitors, hikers on nearby sections of the Appalachian Trail, and anyone traveling through the I-40 corridor should proceed with caution,” the forest service said. “Smoke may drift throughout the area and may affect travel and nearby communities in North Carolina and Tennessee.”

The section of the Appalachian Trail between I-40 and Brown Gap Road remains closed, as well as Brown Gap Road.

Buncombe County lifted its burn ban on Nov. 30, and the statewide burn ban was rescinded at 5 p.m. Nov. 22 for 30 Western North Carolina counties.

For fire updates, visit ncforestservice.gov/fire_control/sit_report.htm  or follow the N.C. Forest Service on Facebook at facebook.com/NCForestService.

Ryley Ober is the Public Safety Reporter for Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA Today Network. Email her at rober@gannett.com and follow her on Twitter @ryleyober

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Fires burn near NC 80 in WNC, Pisgah National Forest fire grows