Nantahala wildfire grows to 90 acres, no containment; parts of WNC under 'severe drought'

Emergency crews continue to fight a lightning-caused wildfire in Western North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest, which has grown to 90 acres with 0% containment as of Oct. 26, officials say.

The fire has continued to grow since it started Oct. 23 on the top of Collett Ridge, from 52 acres Oct. 25 to 90 acres Oct. 26, heading down the ridge to the north. There’s been no containment due to “rugged terrain and limited accessibility,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a social media post.

“Firefighting crews scouted the terrain and area fuels off the Bolden Creek drainage to determine where best to put in a fire line, plan safety zones, and escape routes,” the U.S. Forest Service said. “Additionally, a helicopter dropped buckets of water on the hot spots to knock out the heat and lay down the fire.”

Previous reporting: Crews fight a 52-acre wildfire sparked by lightning in WNC's Nantahala National Forest

The fire, which officials are calling Collett Ridge Fire, is growing on the northwest corner, and burning in low fuel areas with 6-inch flames as of Oct. 26, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

No structures or people have been harmed or threatened by the wildfire, spokesperson Kimberly DeVall told the Citizen Times Oct. 27.

Firefighting operations Oct. 27 will include establishing a hand line using trails, creeks and existing road system from Collett Creek Road to Bolden Creek and from Bolden Branch Road to Junaluska Road, according to a news release from the Forest Service. Aviation crews will also be working on the fire's edge throughout the day as needed.

“The safety of our firefighters and the public is our first priority,” David Ilse, acting district ranger for the Cheoah-Tusquitee Ranger District, said in the news release. “We are using aerial resources and are working to place crews safely on the ground.”

The Collett Ridge Fire started within the Cheoah-Tusquitee Ranger District near Murphy, officials say. Personnel with the U.S. Forest Service and the North Carolina Forest Service are working together to contain the fire.

On Oct. 25, officials said the fire is moving toward Junaluska Road. DeVall said the fire is still moving in that direction, but it has not reached it yet. There are no road closures at this time.

“Anybody that’s in the area should yield to firefighting vehicles and make sure nobody blocks gates or roads,” DeVall said.

Part of WNC under 'severe drought'

The U.S. Drought Monitor released an updated drought map for North Carolina Oct. 26 that shows severe drought conditions persist in parts of the WNC mountains, causing an increased risk of wildfires like the one burning in Nantahala.

Parts of Rutherford County, Polk County, Transylvania County, Cleveland County and Gaston County are under severe drought conditions, making wildfires difficult to extinguish, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The majority of WNC is in moderate drought, including the southern half of Buncombe County, which means wildfire danger is higher than the season normal. The northern part of Buncombe is considered abnormally dry.

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The next chance of rain for the Asheville area and most of WNC is Tuesday, Oct. 31, including where the 90-acre wildfire continues to burn. The National Weather Service is predicting a minimal amount of rain that day, at about 0.1-0.2 inch, meteorologist Jeffrey Taylor told the Citizen Times Oct. 27.

The National Weather Service has not issued any fire danger statements or burn notices for WNC, but Taylor says to avoid unnecessary burning as drought levels remain high.

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“If you don’t need to light a campfire, don’t do it,” Taylor said. “The area is dry, a lot of the brush is dry, so wildfires become more likely to start. Just use common sense if you burn something, be as careful as you can.”

Asheville has received less than an inch of rain in October, which is more than 2 inches below normal for the month, Taylor said.

This story will be updated.

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: Nantahala wildfire grows to 90 acres; 'severe drought' in WNC