Andrews – Drenching rains put an end to the 5,500-acre Collett Ridge Fire over the Thanksgiving weekend, following another storm that put out all but the most stubborn embers over the week before.
The storms enabled state and local officials to lift burn bans just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday, although a State of Emergency still exists at the state level and in Cherokee County as of Monday afternoon.
The Collett Ridge Fire received 1.25 inches of rain from the first storm resulting in minimal fire activity, no additional growth and wetting of light fuels, such as leaf litter, which was the primary fuel source for the fire, fire officials said on Thanksgiving Eve.
There could be smoke within the interior of the fire perimeter, due to heavier fuels such as logs or stumps that may continue to smolder, but no additional fire growth is expected. Fire crews have demobilized or deployed to other fires.
Steve Troxler, commissioner of the N.C. Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, said on Nov. 22, “Due to recent precipitation and decreased fire danger, I have rescinded the restriction on open burning for the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Iredell, Jackson, Lincoln, Macon, Madison, McDowell, Mecklenburg, Mitchell, Polk, Rutherford, Swain, Transylvania, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yancey effective at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 22.”
The local burn ban in Cherokee County was lifted in conjunction with the state burn ban, Cherokee County Fire Marshal Kevin Carter said. The ban had been in effect since Nov. 5.
Cherokee County’s State of Emergency is still in effect, awaiting Gov. Roy Cooper lifting a regional State of Emergency, said Cal Stiles, chairman of the Cherokee County Board of Commissioners.
The Town of Murphy and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians also lifted their burn bans effective 5 p.m. Nov. 22. All state burning rules must be followed, officials said, and use extreme caution anytime you are participating in open burning.
The U.S. Forest Service lifted fire restrictions across the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests as well. The forests received 1-2 inches of widespread rainfall over two days, effectively reducing the fire danger.
The Collett Ridge fire was the largest woods fire in North Carolina for most of November and at its peak had 275 personnel assigned to fight it, including 80 hand crew members, 19 fire engines, one bulldozer, one water tender and two helicopters. One tanker jet was also involved for a short time.
The Southeastern Blue Team Incident Management team was deployed as the fire was growing, but later as it was winding down, team members conducted valuable training using state-of-the-art equipment for Emergency Services personnel from all across southwestern North Carolina, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
”The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is proud to stand side by side with all our community partners to respond to natural and manmade disasters. Through continued proper training, we prepare to respond to whatever the need,” the sheriff’s office announced.