Collett Ridge Fire 80% contained but still smoky

ANDREWS – Firefighters are scaling back as the Collett Ridge Fire is 80 percent contained but still putting out a significant amount of smoke from smoldering hot spots.

Officials said resources assigned to the fire are now at one 20-person hand crew (down from four crews), one engine and one bulldozer. Two helicopters remain on station.

The Southern Area Incident Management Team Blue Team is turning over command of the incident to the U.S. Forest Service as of Saturday morning. 

The fire has consumed an estimated 5,505 acres, although some of that acreage was intentionally set on the fringes to protect buildings and properties toward Junaluska Road on the north as well as other properties on the western edge of the fire area.

Here are excerpts from Friday morning's fire incident report:

Highlights: This will be the final update on the Collett Ridge Fire from the Southern Area Incident Management Team Blue Team. The National Forests of North Carolina will assume command of the incident on Saturday, November 18. Crews will continue to monitor and patrol, perform mop-up operations, such as extinguishing any lingering hotspots, and remain available to respond to any new fires. Smoke will continue to be visible as forest floor fuels and snags continue to smolder.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nfsnc/
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident-information/ncncf-2023-collett-ridge-fire

Resources assigned to the fire include one 20-person handcrew, 1 engine, and 1 dozer. Aerial resources include two helicopters.

Weather & Fire Behavior: A cold front will approach the region on Friday. Winds will shift from the southeast Friday morning to the west Friday afternoon. Clouds will gradually increase with an opportunity for showers, with the best chance for wetting showers Friday night with amounts of a tenth of an inch or less. Skies will clear for the weekend with fair weather on Saturday and Sunday.

Surface fuels have become dry enough to support conditional fire spread where a heat source is present. Until sufficient precipitation occurs, expect areas of isolated smoldering, primarily in heavy woody fuels, such as log ends, snags, and stumps. Heavy fuel concentrations will retain heat and serve as future heat sources. The primary fire behavior characteristic for the day continues to be isolated smoldering. Smoldering leaf litter may kindle to flame with a little wind and/or sunshine, and burning snags may fall into fresh fuels, such as newly fallen leaves.

Air Quality: Smoke may occur in nearby communities. Air quality information provided by the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality is available at airquality.climate.ncsu.edu/.

Burn Bans: Due to increased fire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning until further notice in several counties in western North Carolina. For more information visit https://www.ncforestservice.gov/fire_control/sit_report.htm.

The U.S. Forest Service has implemented fire restrictions across the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests. To view the closure order visit www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/nfsnc/alerts-notices.

Temporary Flight Restriction: A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is in place over the Collett Ridge Fire area. If you fly, we can’t. Aircraft or drone intrusions into the restricted airspace endangers aircrews conducting fire operations and aerial resources are grounded for safety. This unnecessarily places aircrews and ground fire crews at risk in a dynamic and dangerous fire environment.

Closures: For public and firefighter safety the following road and area closures are in effect due to increased fire activity and suppression operations in the area from Big Stamp east to Shinbone Ridge to Signal Bald and a road closure is in effect from the intersection of Little Fires Creek Road, 340B, and Fires Creek Road, 340. The Rim Trail is temporarily closed for approximately 7 miles from Big Stamp to Shinbone.