Crews continue to fight wildfires in Nantahala National Forest

Press release:

November 9, 2016 2:00 p.m.

Currently at the Nantahala National Forest in Western North Carolina, more than 565 firefighters and support staff from more than 40 states and territories are working to suppress 18 wildfire fires to protect people, structures, and infrastructure. Winds are forecast at three mph increasing to 5-10 mph in the afternoon. Ridge-top wind gusts of 30-35 mph are possible today. Lower level winds could have gusts to 25 mph. Strong winds will continue tonight, becoming more northerly in the evening. Ridgetop gusts of 20 – 25 mph will be possible through midnight. Strong winds will create “very active fire behavior” according to incident fire behavior analyst Ben Rowland. They will also increase the chance of fires spotting across containment lines, especially at higher elevations.

Macon County Emergency Management Activated their Reverse 911 yesterday to residents in a Code Red area shown in the map at: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5084/34238/

Proclamation of State Emergency – Macon County. For more information visit: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/article/5084/34242/

Additional requested crews are coming from all across the country to help fight these fires.

Boteler: Firefighters used leaf blowers to clear the previously constructed fire line along Nelson Ridge road. Defensive burning operations around structures were successful. Structure assessment was conducted on the east and south side of the fire. Today, stronger winds from the northwest will test fire line today. Firefighters will continue to construct fire line from Nelson Ridge road towards Chunky Gal trail. They will improve line along Pounding Mill creek to Dark Cove. They will continue to maintain and improve existing lines. Structural protection will continue to be a priority.

Dick’s Creek: Crews continued strengthening all fire lines. Today, they will patrol, monitor and mop-up on the Southeast end. They will also be mopping-up where possible to 50-100 feet in on all control lines, as well as checking and clean out of control lines by raking and blowing newly dropped dry leaves.

Knob: “We tucked it in, but it’s not in bed yet,” said the Nantahala Operations Branch Chief Troy Floyd, at the morning briefing today in Franklin. Firefighters continued increasing protective value of dozer and hand crew-cut lines, managing snags (the dead trees that catch fire from the low ground fire), and other perimeter controls. Today, they will mop-up control lines 50-100 feet in by putting out smoldering remnants of the fire. They will also monitor and clean control lines. Crews and security teams will monitor Highway 64 for smoke and traffic as fire progresses and may close the highway for safety at any time.

Whitewater: Fire crewssecured and strengthened lines. Today, they willimprove the lines while monitoring, patrolling, and mopping-up. Teams will continue assessing damage to trail system as time and conditions allow.

Tellico: Crews continued structure protection efforts. They burned out fuels in strategic burnout operations in unburned areas in between the wildfire and control lines and values at risk. One of these burnout actions was within sight of the Tellico Trout Farm on the East side of the fire. Today, crews will work to secure structures as the fire approaches. The will hold the southern line by mopping up and patrolling. Where needed, bulldozers or hand crews will cut away and clear unburned vegetation in lines to direct the fire away from structures, creating a more defensible space from the wildfire. Crews willcontinue establishing control lines to the North. The will work to secure structures as the fire moves North and East towards Needmore Road.

Cliffside: “We want to keep this tucked in,” said Floyd. Firefighters monitored the fires’ actions, patrolled, and mopped-up.Today, they willexpand mop-up of control lines 100 feet in the direction of the fire. They also will monitor and clean out these lines.

Ferebee: Similar to actions at Tellico, fire crews improved and extended hand firelines and dozer lines yesterday. They scouted for new line locations in the gorge to tie up flanks. Crews worked to construct fire lines down to the stream from both sides to connect dozer lines. They worked on completing dozer lines on top of the ridge. Yesterday, Swain County Emergency Management called for evacuation of two residences on Silver Mine Rd. Other residents on this road were advised of possible evacuations to come. Today, firefighters will scout for areas to cut off the fire spread to the North and South. The major focus is to protect structures around Silver Mine Road and Camp Branch Road and Queens Lake Communities.

May Branch: Crews monitored the fire, patrolled, and mopped-up. They also checked and cleaned out control lines. Today, they will continueincreasing mop-up distance to 100 feet in from control lines while monitoring and cleaning out control lines.

Buck Creek: Firefighters improved fire lines, conducted mop-up and patrolled. Today, firefighters will monitor and patrol the fire.

Avey Branch, Grape Cove, Jarrett Bald, Jones Gap, Maples Springs, Mulberry, Moss Knob, Moses Creek, and Wine Springs: Crews assessed new fires and continued monitoring and patrolling, and will do the same today.

Fire
Acres
% Contained
Start Date
Closures
Boteler, Boteler Peak near Hayesville
3,504
30
Oct. 25
Chucky Gal Trail
Bucks Creek
8
100
Nov. 6

Cliffside 3 miles west of Highlands near Cliffside Lake Recreation Area
101
85
Nov. 2
Cliffside Day Use Area closed for the season.
Dick’s Creek northwest of Sylva
728
80
Oct. 23
Ferebee
1,605
Nov. 5
Winding Stairs Road is closed.
Grape Cove
35

Board Tree Road is closed.
Jones Gap, northwest of Highlands
115
80
Oct. 29
Bartram Trail, from Hickory Knoll Road to State Highway 106, will remain closed through this weekend due to mop-up operations and potential hazard assessments
Knob, southwest of Franklin in the Nantahala Mountains
1,113
28
Nov. 2
Appalachian Trail from the Nantahala River at Wesser, south to Rock Gap. Old 64 Murphy Road closed from its west junction of US 64 to Forest Service Road 67 leading to Standing Indian Campground. Rock Gap may be accessed from the south by going through Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory. Standing Indian Campground is OPEN.
May Branch Sheep Mountain, northeast of Cullowhee
175
50
Nov. 3
Moss Knob southwest of Cullowhee
7

Nov. 3
Moss Knob Shooting Range is closed.
Moses Creek
30
80
Oct. 28
Tellico, northwest of Franklin in the Nantahala Mountains
5,160
25
Nov. 3
Appalachian Trail closed from Nantahala River to Burningtown Gap.
Wesser Creek Trail is also closed.
Wine Spring, 15 miles west of Franklin above Dirty John Shooting Range
95

Nov. 3
Bartram Trail is closed between Wine Springs Bald and Nantahala Lake
Whitewater
25

Trail is closed to the falls.
Safety
Visibility along roads and highways may be limited at times due to smoke and fog. With more people and equipment arriving to fight fires in the area, motorists should exercise caution when driving. HIGH Fire Danger today! NO Campfires allowed except in developed campgrounds with fees. Homeowners can help prevent property damage from fires by keeping flammable materials such as woodpiles or dead leaves away from your home or propane tanks.

All residents should take precautions such as moving flammable materials like wood or debris piles away from your home or propane tanks. Sweep, rake or blow dead leaves off roofs and decks and away from structures. For more measures to protect your home from wildfire, visit the North Carolina Firewise page at ncfirewise.org/.

Fire Restrictions
The Nantahala National Forest has the following fire restrictions in place:
Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, or stove fire is not allowed outside of developed campgrounds where a fee is paid.
The use of portable lanterns, stoves, or heating equipment that use gas or pressurized liquid fuel is allowed. Charcoal fires are not allowed.
Permissible fires must be confined to metal fire rings and grills that are provided in the National Forest only at the locations listed at the link below.
fs.usda.gov/alerts/nfsnc/alerts-notices/?aid=37484

The State of North Carolina has enacted a burn ban for the following counties: Alexander, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, and Yancey. Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was issued.
For more information, see ncforestservice.gov/news_pubs/newsdesk_2016.htm