Update: 77 residences threatened near Edneyville as WNC wildfires burn nearly 6,000 acres
ASHEVILLE - North Carolina is under a state of emergency as wildfires continue to burn throughout Western North Carolina, with moderate-to-severe drought in the area causing an increased fire risk.
Here’s a brief rundown of must-knows about the largest fires raging in WNC:
Collett Ridge Fire
The largest current wildfire in WNC — located near Andrews in the Cherokee County of Nantahala National Forest — has grown another 744 acres in a day, from 4,371 acres Nov. 9 to 5,116 acres Nov. 10, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Nov. 9 saw the first reports of any containment on the fire since a lightning strike started the blaze on Oct. 23. The fire remains 5% contained as of Nov. 10, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
As the fire reaches closer to the McClellan Creek area in the northwest, firefighters are assessing structure protection needs for communities in the area, the update said. Crews are also establishing handline and dozer lines from Snyder Creek to Polecat Creek, finishing a handline in the Kimsey Cove area, and strengthening the already-formed containment line along Fires Creek Road.
Road and area closures are in effect from Big Stamp east to Shinbone Ridge and Signal Bald. The Rim Trail is temporarily closed for about 7 miles from Big Stamp to Shinbone. The intersection of Little Fires Creek Road and Fires Creek Road is also closed, the forest service said.
The state and federal government sent 178 personnel to the scene.
More: Where are the wildfires in WNC? Check out this map.
Poplar Drive Fire
Crews are making progress keeping the Poplar Drive Fire in Henderson County contained, which started on Nov. 3. The fire has grown 3 acres since Nov. 8, from 431 acres to 434, and containment has increased from 15% to 30%, as of the last N.C. Forest Service update the morning of Nov. 10. The forest service is reporting low intensity fire activity, including minimal backing, creeping and smoldering.
About 199 personnel from the N.C. Forest Service, N.C. Emergency Management, Office of State Fire Marshal, Henderson County Emergency Management, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and the Edneyville Fire Department are responding to the fire, the cause of which remains under investigation.
One home, two cabins and two outbuildings have been lost to the fire, and another home sustained damage, the forest service said. About 77 single residences are considered threatened as of Nov. 10.
“Area homes remain threatened, and Forest Service personnel, county fire department and sheriff’s office staff are continually assessing the needs of those structures,” the update said.
Two firefighters were injured while working the fire but have since been treated and released for their minor injuries.
After strengthening containment lines along the western boundary of the fire Nov. 9, firefighters will continue to mop-up smoldering pockets around the fire Nov. 10, by spraying water with water handling equipment and exposing heat within the duff soil layer with hand tools, N.C. Forest Service said.
Firefighters conducted a 2.5 acre-controlled burn in the vegetation beside Kyles Creek Road Nov. 9, which officials say was a success.
Roadblocks have been placed in the area, allowing residents and first responders access, according to N.C. Forest Service.
More: Hendersonville vineyard owner describes Poplar Drive Fire, community response
DuPont State Recreational Forest Fire
A fire in DuPont State Forest is now 100% contained, sitting at 36 acres, spokesperson Kirsten McDonald told the Citizen Times. About 5-10 acres of the fire are on DuPont State Forest land, while the rest is burning on private land.
“The area is now being regularly patrolled and monitored because of continued leaf fall and the extreme dryness of the ground,” McDonald said.
No structures have been lost or threatened by the DuPont fire, and no injuries have been sustained. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to McDonald.
Cascade Loop and Sheep Mountain Road remain closed, but McDonald said these should reopen soon.
Firefighters and fire management teams that have worked the fire include those from DuPont State Recreational Forest, Holmes Educational State Forest, regional fire departments, the NC Wildlife Resources Commission, BRIDGE crews, and the N.C. Forest Service’s county and assistant county rangers for Transylvania County and other regional and district rangers.
East Fork Fire
The East Fork Fire in Jackson County has also increased in containment, up from 80% Nov. 9 to 95%, U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Adrianna Rubiaco told the Citizen Times Nov. 10. The fire remains at around 300 acres.
“Now firefighters are patrolling the area and performing mop up operations, which is when they put out any remaining hot spots within the fire area,” Rubiaco said.
The fire, which began Nov. 4, is on a mix of public and private lands. There are no closures on the federal land portion of the fire at this time, Rubiaco added.
“There were structures threatened, but only one ended up needed protection and there were no damages," Rubiaco said.
N.C. Forest Service, U.S. Forest Service and the Savannah Volunteer Fire Department have been dispatched to the scene.
More: Update: WNC wildfire grows to 310 acres in Jackson County; fires total over 5 square miles
Chimney Rock Fire
Chimney Rock State Park closed Nov. 9 due to a small brush fire in the area, according to a Chimney Rock LLC Facebook post. Duke Power reported a power outage in the park ― which lies about 25 miles southeast of Asheville in Rutherford County ― shortly after the fire was reported earlier on Nov. 9.
The park has reopened Nov. 10 for regular hours, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. for entry, with hiking allowed until 6 p.m., according to an updated Facebook post. The power is back up and running.
“Thank you to all our partners who responded quickly to handle the brush fire in the park yesterday,” the post said.
Weather outlook
The U.S. Drought Monitor released an updated drought map for North Carolina Nov. 9 that shows severe drought conditions have spread to the majority of WNC, influencing the risk of fires throughout the region.
Parts of 36 counties in North Carolina, mainly those in WNC, are under severe drought conditions, making wildfires difficult to extinguish, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. Buncombe County is mostly under a moderate drought, with a small southern portion of the county in severe drought.
“Most of the rain we’ve seen early today is moving east of the area,” meteorologist Jeffrey Taylor with the National Weather Service in Greer, South Carolina, told the Citizen Times. “We aren’t going to get much rain if any for the rest of the day. There’s a chance of some more light rain Saturday night into Sunday for most of Western North Carolina, but it won’t be that much.”
Taylor said WNC is expected to see only 0.1 inch, with some areas seeing a little more, around 0.25 inch.
The high for Asheville is 63 with a low of 44 on Nov. 10, Taylor said. Nov. 11 has a high of 58 with a low of 39 at night.
Burn Ban
The N.C Forest Service expanded a burn ban to 16 counties to include Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Caldwell, Catawba, Haywood, Iredell, Lincoln, Madison, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey.
Fourteen counties were already under a burn ban that was established Nov. 5: Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain and Transylvania.
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: WNC wildfires burn thousands of acres, DuPont fire contained, forecast
