More Wake County firefighters head west to help with wildfires

That’s an improvement from Tuesday night, when the fire was about 25 percent contained. Typically, Robbins said campers can build fires outside recreation areas so long as they leave no trace, and smoking in the forest is not restricted. “That’s why we’ve got to be so vigilant to make sure no new fires start and we want to make sure there’s no burning whatsoever”.

More than 60 active wildfires are burning in Tennessee and two major fires in North Georgia.

The Pinnacle Mountain wildfire has also grown to almost 3,300 acres as of Wednesday morning and was 35 percent contained.

The Party Rock fire forced the closure of the area; it opened Saturday to business owners and residents.

Officials said 1,000 firefighters are working to protect homes and to monitor completed containment lines.

In a morning update post on Facebook, the Rabun County Emergency Management Agency said winds will come from the northwest as the fire continues to spread northeast. “Also, I did it for the experience, because I’ve never been a part of anything like this before”. Many dangers still exist, such as trees that are weakened from the fire and smoldering stump holes.

So far this year, Robbins said 26 fires have affected about 3,000 acres in the forest, and each one was the result of human activity.

Chinook helicopters continued flying water into the 5,100-acre fire Saturday, despite 15-25 miles per hour winds and gusts topping 40 miles per hour by lunchtime.

No brush fire calls were reported in Cabell County this week, 911 dispatchers said. Blue said the crews were being fed “very well”, though.

The team that left Friday will replace about 40 firefighters from Wake County who have been out west for about a week.

She said firefighters learned overnight that a structure had burned in the initial wildfire, an old building built by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which disbanded in 1942.

Air quality Friday for all of western North Carolina is “Code Red” or “unhealthy for all groups.’ Under “Code Red”, all residents are urged to avoid any outdoor exertion”. It’s a blessing to be able to see everyone getting together to become one and get the task done.

McCrory announced the reward during a briefing in Bat Cave, North Carolina, one of the towns evacuated because of threat of wildfires.