11/26/16 - JIC Wildfire Summary - 11:30am Update

For a downloadable, printable version of this update, click here.

HWY 151 FIRE (USFS – CANDLER, BUNCOMBE COUNTY)

Fire crews are focused on patrolling the fire perimeter and addressing trees and other material falling across the fire line.  Highway 151 is still closed between the Blue Ridge Parkway and Black Oak Cove Road due to trees falling on the road and fire personnel working on and near the road.

Acreage: 245— Containment: 30% — Personnel: 125 — Start Date: November 24

HORTON FIRE (NCFS – BLOWING ROCK, WATAUGA COUNTY)
Fire managers are actively preparing for wind. Areas of concern are hotspots flaring up along the north and the southeast end of the fire. Crews are mopping up those areas and monitoring them closely. Firefighters patrolled the fire area last night. 

Smoke is expected to affect visibility from Watson Road up to the Dugger Fire Tower Road. The public is asked to avoid this area and Sampson Road south of the Blue Ridge Parkway to provide for the safety of firefighters and local residents. 
Acreage: 1450 — Containment: 65% — Personnel: 125 — Start Date: November 21
http://hortonfire.blogspot.com/

CLEAR CREEK FIRE (NCFS / USFS – MARION, MCDOWELL COUNTY)

Firefighters working on the southwest and western areas of the fire will continue to construct and improve indirect fireline utilizing dozers and hand crews. Along the northwestern portion of the fire including near Locust Cove, crews will complete firing operations and mop up as needed. Structure protection work will continue in the Clear Creek Road, Hwy NC 80 and Locust Cove areas. Several aviation resources are available and will assist firefighters as visibility allows in holding firelines, and slowing fire spread with bucket drops. Night operations are scheduled again for this evening.

Hwy NC 80 is closed to non-residents from Toms Creek Road to the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Yancey County line. Clear Creek Road is still closed; only residents living in the area have access.

Acreage: 2,986 – Containment: 30% — Personnel: 457 — Start Date: November 20

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5106/#

Boteler Fire (USFS—CHUNKY GAL AREA, Clay County)

The Southern Area Blue Team is assigned management of the Boteler Fire and also manages the following fires: Camp Branch Fire, Tellico Fire, and Maple Springs. The SA Blue Team is also patrolling/monitoring: Old Roughy Fires, Buck Creek Fire, Falls Fire, Grape Cove Fire, Moses Creek Fire, Jones Gap Fire, Jarrett Knob Fire, Wine Spring Fire, Mulberry Fire, Moss Knob Fire, May Branch Fire, Boardtree Fire, Charley Creek Fire, Nick, Ridge Gap, Ferebee, Cliffside Fire, Whitewater Fire, Howard Gap, Knob, Muskrat, Bullpen, Jones Creek, Cathey Gap, Dick’s Creek

Because of the recent moisture that the fire area received, very minimal fire activity was observed during the last operational period. Longer burn periods will return. Fire may burn actively well into the night. Re-burn potential continues to decline as leaf fall decreases. Fire suppression repair needs are currently being assessed.

Firefighters will maintain and patrol control lines; improve, secure and mop up firelines; coordinate structure protection within divisions, as well as monitor re-burn, occurring in Divisions V, X, and Z.
For current road closures in Macon County CLICK HERE

Acreage: 9,036— Containment: 77% — Personnel: 186 – Start Date: October 25

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5075/

MAPLE SPRINGS FIRE (USFS—LAKE SANTEELAH AREA, GRAHAM COUNTY)
The Southern Area Blue Team on the Boteler Fire is assigned management of this fire.

The fire may burn actively into the night, meaning longer burn periods. The reburn potential is declining as leaf fall decreases. Firefighters will monitor hot spots and continue suppression repair.

Acreage: 7,788 — Containment: 71% — Personnel: 100 — Start Date: November 4

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5090/

NANTAHALA BRANCH FIRES (USFS—CHUNKY GAL AREA, Clay County)

The Southern Area Blue Team is assigned management of the Nantahala Branch Fires. Under this branch, the fires being patrolled/monitored are: Tellico Fire, Old Roughy Fire, Buck Creek Fire, Falls Fire, Grape Cove Fire, Moses Creek Fire, Jones Gap Fire, Jarrett Knob Fire, Wine Spring Fire, Mulberry Fire, Moss Knob Fire, May Branch Fire, Boardtree Fire, Charley Creek Fire, Nick Fire, Ridge Gap Fire, Ferebee Fire, Cliffside Fire, Whitewater Fire, Howard Gap Fire, Knob Fire, Muskrat Fire, Bullpen Fire, Jones Creek Fire, Cathey Gap Fire, Dick’s Creek Fire.

·       CAMP BRANCH FIRE (USFS – OTTO, MACON COUNTY)

The Southern Area Blue Team on the Boteler Fire is assigned management of this fire.

Fire crews will continue to construct and improve primary containment lines; maintain established lines to ensure that they are not compromised by leaf fall; and continue to mop up hot spots. Structure and infrastructure protection is on going.

Acreage: 1363 – Containment: 20% – Personnel: 102 – Start Date: November 23

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5110/#

PARTY ROCK FIRE (NCFS—LAKE LURE AREA, RUTHERFORD, BUNCOMBE, AND HENDERSON COUNTIES)
Some hot spots remain near the containment lines and deeper within the fire area. Using infrared cameras, firefighters were still finding hot spots within 15’ feet of containment lines last night. Windy conditions overnight also caused some smoldering embers to flare up, fueled in part by more leaves falling.

The visitor’s center at Chimney Rock State Park is open. If you are traveling to the area please be aware of fire traffic on highways and near the fire perimeter. The climbing area on Rumbling Bald is closed until further notice.

Three (3) community meetings will be held today Saturday 11/26/16:

10:00 A.M.	Lake Lure Fire Department - 622 Memorial HWY - Lake Lure
12:00 P.M.	Chimney Rock Fire Department - 109 Terrace Dr. - Lake Lure
2:00 P.M.	Bat Cave Baptist Church - 5095 Chimney Rock Rd. - Hendersonville

Acreage: 7,171 — Containment: 80% — Personnel: 290 — Start Date: November 5

http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5092/

ROCK MOUNTAIN FIRE (USFS – SOUTHERN NANTAHALA WILDERNESS AREA, NORTH GEORGIA AND CLAY AND MACON COUNTIES IN NC)
Resources continue burnout operations from Chestnut Ridge east toward Little Ridgepole Mountain; then continuing east toward Betty's Creek Road, south toward Patterson Gap and back to the west, carefully bringing the fire to the containment lines in the Abe Gap area. The burnout operation will be weather dependent and could be delayed if conditions are not favorable.

Structure protection groups remain in place in the Betty's Creek and Patterson Gap areas, providing point protection and reinforcing existing hand and dozer line. The southern and western edge of the fire, including Tallulah River Road will remain in patrol status. Crews are beginning work on fireline rehabilitation to reduce erosion potential.

All evacuations are still in place; to see the latest road closures, pre-evacuation and evacuation updates, CLICK HERE.

Acreage: ~ 19,184— Containment: 40% — Personnel: 563— Start Date: November 9
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5100/#

CHESTNUT KNOB FIRE (NCFS—SOUTH MOUNTAINS STATE PARK, BURKE COUNTY)
No changes to fire operations.
Acreage: 6,435 — Containment: 80% — Personnel: 156 — Start Date: November 6
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5101/

PINNACLE MOUNTAIN FIRE (SCFS / USFS – PICKENS AND TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES)
There will be a public meeting on Sunday, November 27, 2016 at the Greenville Command Post located at 521 Table Rock Road in Cleveland, South Carolina.

Last night, firefighters completed a fireline on the west side of the Pinnacle Mountain Fire near White Oak Mountain to the Saluda River. They also completed a small burnout to help secure this part of the fire. On the east side, fire crews held the fire along Slickum Falls Road, preventing it from spreading to the east. Farther to the north, burnout operations were only partially successful near Slicking Gap as conditions were not favorable. Fire crews finished preparing the firebreak along the state line along with the N.C. Forest Service personnel. Firefighters continued to patrol and monitor the south end of the fire near Saluda River.

Closures: Table Rock State Park and the trail system remain closed. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Media Advisory: For all information about the Pinnacle Mountain Fire and the ongoing response in South Carolina, all media should contact the Pinnacle Mountain Joint Information Center at (864) 898-2437 or pmfjic@gmail.com.

Acreage: 8,903— Containment: 40% — Personnel: 253 — Start Date: November 9
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5108/