11/18/16 North Carolina State Forest Service Wildfire Update

Additional information available at: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/state/34/

Fire	Location	Size	Cont.	Personnel
Chestnut Knob	South Mountains State Park - South Mountain State Park, about 10 miles south of Morganton, NC	5,929	29%	234
Significant Events:	No Update as of 7:20 p.m.
Party Rock	Chimney Rock State Park	6,712	19%
Significant Events:	A pre-evacuation notice has been issued for the communities of Riverbend Highlands, Buffalo Creek Road, Three Creeks, Tatanka, Apple Valley, Shumont Estates, and Buffalo Shoals Road north of Moffit Road. The notice is being prompted due to the potential for further fire growth to the Northeast, East and Southeast. The predicted high winds forecasted for this weekend will cause extreme fire behavior. An evacuation center is being opened at the Greenhill Baptist Church, 1941 US 64/74A Highway.
Tellico/Ferebee	3 miles south of Almond, NC	13,874	81%
Significant Events:	Infrared flights have proven to be an invaluable tool in the effort to contain and suppress the Tellico Fire. Each night aircraft with sophisticated sensing equipment fly over the fire to map locations of residual heat or “hot spots.” The following day firefighters, armed with this information, locate and extinguish hot spots near the perimeter that might pose a threat to containment. The most current infrared flight data indicated hot spots along dozer line in the Fairview area. Crews will work to strengthen containment lines and extinguish any hot spots within 100 feet of containment lines in this area. Fire crews on the remaining perimeter of the Tellico Fire will continue with mop up operations, clear containment lines of accumulated leaf fall, and patrol the perimeter. Special attention will be paid to patrolling around homes within the fire area. Structure protection lines will be monitored and strengthened as needed.
Boteler	Shooting Creek community, 6 miles east of Hayesville, NC	8,967	57%	426
Significant Events:	Despite extremely dry conditions and warm temperatures, firefighters made good progress on the fire yesterday. They continued working hot spots and strengthened firelines in steep terrain. Due to forecasted increasing winds Friday evening, an area of unburned fuels well within the containment lines was allowed to burn itself out so it did not promote fire growth this weekend. This area, off East Vineyard Road, will be monitored today. A blasting crew completed removing 98 hazard trees on the Boteler Fire.
Maples Springs & Old Roughy	North of Santeetlah Lake	7,788/657	51%/100	340
Significant Events:	The latest infrared flight showed a decrease in hot spots on both the Maple Springs and Old Roughy fires. There were only about a dozen hot spots showing on the Maple Springs fire and just one remaining heat signature on the Old Roughy fire. Nearly all the remaining hot spots on the Maple Springs fire are located well inside the perimeter of the fire in the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness. There are a few hot spots along the southern perimeter of the fire that helicopters will be dumping water on today.
Dobson 3	Within the Qualla Boundary	756	80%	80
Significant Events:	No update as of 7 p.m.
Cathy Gap Fire	3 Miles Northeast of Wolf Creek Lake	123	0%	35
Significant Events:	The Cathy Gap Fire started around midnight on November 17, 2016. Initial attack firefighters and equipment from the Franklin staging area were dispatched. By late Thursday afternoon, utilizing hand crews, a bull dozer and burning operations, they had constructed containment lines around the fire. Friday, crews on the Cathy Gap Fire will continue to strengthen these containment lines, do mop up and patrol the perimeter.
Additional Fires	Patrol-and-Monitor Status:
Significant Events:	The following fires are being patrolled daily to ensure containment lines are holding: Muskrat Fire (103 ac.), Bull Pen Fire (4 ac.), Perry Fire (5 ac.), Buck Creek Fire (8 ac.), Falls Fire (NA), Grape Cove Fire (35 ac.), Moses Creek Fire (30 ac.), Jones Gap Fire (115 ac.), Jarrett Knob Fire (NA), Wine Spring Fire (95 ac.), Mulberry Fire (NA), Moss Knob Fire (7 ac.), May Branch Fire (175 ac.), Boardtree Fire (0.5 ac.), Charley Creek Fire (3 ac.), Ridge Gap (2 ac.), Cliffside Fire (101 ac.), Whitewater Fire (23 ac.), Howard Gap (0.2 ac.), Knob (1,130 ac.), and Dick’s Creek (728 ac.)
Pinnacle Mountain Fire	South Carolina	5,095	35%	170
Significant Events:	Fire managers at the Pinnacle Mountain Fire were pleased with the results of the 1400-acre burnout conducted on Thursday. A helicopter-mounted ignition system lit both sides of Table Rock mid-day yesterday, resulting in a low-intensity burn.  Meanwhile, ground forces conducted burning operations next to established firebreaks on the east side of the fire.
Rock Mountain Fire	Georgia - Chatahoochee-Oconee National Forest	7,999	20%
Significant Events:	The Rock Mountain Fire near Tate City, Georgia was active yesterday, but no structures have been lost. For more information on the Rock Mountain Fire, please visit Inciweb http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5100/

A Joint Information Center has been set up in Asheville to provide information on wildfires burning across western North Carolina. To contact the JIC, call (828) 575-2840 or email ncjicinformation@gmail.com.

Boteler Fire Map

Temperatures on Friday are forecasted to be in the low to mid-70s with relative humidity in the teens. Sustained south - southwesterly winds at 5 to 10 miles per hour, with gusts to 16 are predicted. A cold front will be moving into the area Friday night, and winds are projected to change from the south - southwest to west - southwest and eventually make a full 180-degree directional change to north - northwest. This front should produce strong gusty winds through Friday night. Sustained wind speeds of 10 to 15 miles per hour with gusts to 25 are expected. The higher temperatures, lower relative humidity, and windy conditions, combined with extremely dry fuel conditions in the area are the ingredients for increased fire behavior. Firefighters will be especially vigilant Friday in light of these factors. Crews and equipment have been held in reserve to respond as initial attack resources should any of the fires begin to reburn, or if additional spot fires or starts are reported. Anyone having information concerning these wildfires should contact Macon County Crimestoppers at 828-349-2600 or Jackson County Crimestoppers at 828-631-1125.

Party Rock FIre Wind Map