Forest Service: Edneyville fire now 50% contained, still 434 acres

Staff reports
·3 min read

This is the Nov. 10 evening update from the North Carolina Forest Service on the Poplar Drive Fire in Edneyville. It's Day 8 of the fire.

Firefighters make their way up to the front lines of the Poplar Drive Fire on Nov. 8, which was the sixth day of the fire.
Firefighters make their way up to the front lines of the Poplar Drive Fire on Nov. 8, which was the sixth day of the fire.

The Poplar Drive Fire in Henderson County is 434 acres and is now 50% contained. Percent containment represents sections of fire line that pose no escape risk without further action from firefighters. A State of Emergency has been issued by Governor Cooper due to existing and potential wildfires in North Carolina. Read the State of Emergency declaration.

Today firefighters utilized the rain to work aggressively on mop-up operations, tackling the smoldering areas of the fire and strengthening containment lines with dozer equipment and hand digging. Water handling operations with drop tanks, water tender equipment and hose lays are still being utilized. Due to the rain, drones were not able to assess heat signatures within the fire footprint, but flights should resume once the rain dissipates.

More: Update: 77 residences threatened near Edneyville as WNC wildfires burn nearly 6,000 acres

One home, two cabins and two outbuildings have been lost, while another home sustained damage. 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 cause of the fire remains under investigation. Two firefighters sustained minor injuries and both were treated and released. Four minor motor vehicle accidents have been reported with no injuries.

Personnel with the N.C. Forest Service, N.C. Emergency Management, Office of State Fire Marshal, Henderson County Emergency Management, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Edneyville Fire Department along with numerous other fire departments from across the state are responding to the incident.

Fire Behavior: Minimal smoldering remains within the fire footprint. Potential for fire reignition is elevated due to leaf fall and snags.

Weather: Rainfall totals reached up to one-tenth of an inch over the area of the fire today. A 10-20% chance of rain exists throughout the weekend, with the next greatest chance of rain approaching next Thursday (30%). Accumulation of appreciable rain is not forecast for the next several days.

Burn Ban Notice: Effective 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 8, a burn ban has been issued for Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Caldwell, Catawba, Haywood, Iredell, Lincoln, Madison, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes and Yancey counties. Read the full news release. Effective 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 5, a burn ban was issued for Burke, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain and Transylvania counties. Read the full news release. Both bans remain in effect until further notice.

Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 7,500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is at https://tfr.faa.gov/save_pages/detail_3_8718.html. Flying drones within a TFR designated area is unlawful. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Forest Service: Edneyville fire now 50% contained after minimal rain