Here’s the Nov. 22 update from the U.S. Forest Service on the Linville Gorge fire:
Firefighters take advantage of favorable weather to extinguish hotspots; Community Meeting Held at Jonas Ridge Volunteer Fire Department
Summary: 2,579 acres; 60% contained; 207 personnel; Fire Start Date: 11-12-2013
BURKE COUNTY, NC – Firefighters began rehabilitation efforts today on sections of the fire that are considered controlled. This includes reseeding and using bulldozers outside the wilderness area to build water bars to reduce the chance of erosion. Hand crews will also be doing similar work in areas inaccessible to dozers.
The success of the small burnout operation on November 20 in removing most of the fuels from the 100-acre block has reduced the opportunity for the fire to spread to the south and west sides of Linville Gorge. Firefighters will continue to monitor the fire for hotspots. Using water and hand tools firefighters will extinguish any hotspot near the fire line.
Due to favorable weather conditions the Table Rock Fire is expected to have little activity today. The prediction of light winds and much higher humidity for the next day will limit the potential for the fire growth. A strong cold front will move through Saturday morning with sharply colder temperatures, very windy conditions, and much lower humidity levels through Sunday.
Report on the Community Meeting. A community meeting was held at the Jonas Ridge Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department last night November 21, at 06:00pm. The meeting was organized by the Grandfather Ranger District with the assistance of the Southern Area Type 2 Team to provide information about how decisions are made relating to fire suppression and to allow the public to ask questions about the firefighting operation on the Table Rock Fire. Approximately 55 people attended the community meeting.
The Southern Area Type 2 Team appreciates patience of the local community during this incident. People driving through the area should be alert for fire traffic. To date, the team has had an excellent safety record. Even with low fire activity, crews are still actively commuting between the base camp at Catawba Meadows Park and the fire line. With continued chance of fog development and smoke, there is always the risk of reduced visibility.
Monday is opening day for rifle deer season. Hunters are reminded to check the web page for National Forests in North Carolina (above) for current closure information.
The Table Rock wildfire, which started November 12th, is located in Linville Gorge on Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest.
Before you comment
The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.