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With the fire winding down, Team Members were able to conduct valuable training utilizing state-of-the-art equipment for Emergency Services personnel from all across southwestern North Carolina. -
With the fire winding down, Team Members were able to conduct valuable training utilizing state-of-the-art equipment for Emergency Services personnel from all across southwestern North Carolina.
Drenching rain on Tuesday put a stop to Cherokee County’s fire vulnerability and local and state agencies are responding in kind with a lifting of burn bans just in time for Thanksgiving.
Steve Troxler, commissioner, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, said Wednesday, “Due to recent precipitation and decreased fire danger, I have rescinded the restriction on open burning for the counties of Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Buncombe, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Cherokee, Clay, Cleveland, Gaston,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, said Cherokee County Fire Marshal Kevin Carter.
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 the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians also lifted their burn bans effective 5 p.m. Wednesday.
All state burning rules must be followed, officials said. Use extreme caution anytime you are participating in open burning.
The U.S. Forest Service is lifting fire restrictions across the Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests effective immediately. The forests received 1-2 inches of widespread rainfall over the past 48 hours effectively reducing fire danger. The rain was also beneficial for the current fires, Collett Ridge and Black Bear, resulting in no additional fire growth and minimal activity.
Forest visitors may now have campfires at trail shelters and outside of developed recreation areas. However, the area is still considered to be in a drought, with many areas 10-15 inches below average for rainfall. It is important for everyone to continue being responsible when it comes to campfire safety.
Campfire Safety Tips:
Make sure your campfire is a safe distance from your tent or anything that can burn.
Use rocks to create a fire ring in the center of a large cleared area.
Use the Drown-Stir-Drown-Feel method to put out your campfire safely.
For more information check out the Smokey Campfire Safety Guide
Even though fire restrictions have lifted, possessing, discharging, or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device is still prohibited. Fireworks are never allowed on any national forest at any time.
At this time, for public and firefighter safety, there is still an area closure in effect for the Black Bear Fire, where fire officials are assessing conditions to determine if the closure is still needed. To view the closure order and map of the closure area visit here.
Collett Ridge Fire
The Collett Ridge Fire received 1.25 inches of rain 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 late Wednesday. There may continue to be smoke within the interior of the fire perimeter, due to heavier fuels such as logs or stumps that may continue to smolder. No additional fire growth is expected.
The Collette Ridge fire required the deployment of many resources to the area including the Southeastern Blue Team Incident Management team, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office.
With the fire winding down, Team Members were able to conduct valuable training utilizing state-of-the-art equipment for Emergency Services personnel from all across southwestern North Carolina.
”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.