Relentless smoke spreads fear at edge of southern wildfires

According to Mission Health experts and state and federal air quality officials, the elderly, children and those with cardiovascular diseases, specifically asthma and COPD, should limit the exposure to outside air as fires are being combatted.

Officials said Monday that the fire was more than 3,400 acres in size and 15 percent contained, and that calm weather had reduced its spread.

Historic and unprecedented are the words the United States Forest Service is using to describe this Georgia fire season. The only thing burning now – a few tree stumps – which is a good thing for Tim and his wife, Lisa, after they refused to evacuate. Meanwhile, an “Air Quality Warning” is in effect for western North Carolina where the smoke will be much worse.

Fire officials are carefully planning their ongoing battle against the flames and taking the abnormally dry conditions into consideration. Several helicopters and a large air tanker supported firefighters as containment was completed overnight down to Rumbling Bald Resort communities.

Crews not only are fighting the fire that is moving quickly and dealing with Mother Nature but also with the rocky, risky terrain.

“We have been lighting (man-made) fire and it has been holding well”, she said.

Dry conditions and winds are fueling almost 20 wildfires throughout western North Carolina.

Current wildfire behavior indicators show Wilkes is primed for severe forest fires.

– Fire crews are pouring in from across the country to fight the wildfires that continue to rage in western North Carolina. “We will have an update (Thursday) afternoon with the most up-to-date weather conditions and wind predictions”, a statement from the group said.

Milton also thinks the forest fires could have an impact on the local economy in an area which draws in tourists during the fall season to see the leaves change colors. That does not include the costs of the more than 500 structural firefighters who have come to help from all over the state, even as far away as Chapel Hill and Pamlico County. South Mountains Game Land encompasses more than 21,000 acres in Burke, Cleveland, McDowell and Rutherford counties.

The smaller Rock Mountain blaze, spanning 8,545 acres about 10 miles north of Clayton in northeast Georgia, was 20 percent contained Thursday, the U.S. Forest Service reported.

As of November 16, almost 20 large wildfires, affecting more than 46,000 acres, are burning in WNC counties.

“The extended drought across the Southeast is the number one culprit”, Burnett said in an interview.”Rain is going to be what it takes to knock this down anytime soon”.

“The ban is expected to be lifted when significant rainfall is received and notification will be sent out when burning may resume”, Cobb fire spokeswoman Denell Boyd said.

For more information on current wildfires in western North Carolina go to inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/34/ or call the North Carolina Joint Information Center at (828) 575-2840.