11/26/16 - JIC Wildfire Summary - 5:00pm Update

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

CURRENT SITUATION FOR WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA

Fires or Fire Complexes	10	SEATS Single Engine Air Tanker	8
Incident Management Teams	Type I = 2 teams Type II = 4 teams Type III = 1 teams	Helicopters	Type (1) = 6 Type (2) = 4 Type (3) = 5
Total Acreage	64,805	Air Attack	7
Personnel	Over 2,283
The above-listed stats represent the fires included in this summary only.

The number one cause of wildfires in the South is typically unintentional, human-caused fires. These include escaped campfires, disposal of wood ashes and debris burning.

In 2016, however, we have seen a pattern of suspicious fires throughout the Appalachians. This is more challenging for firefighters because the increased fire frequency stretches firefighting resources. These suspicious and unwanted human-caused wildfires, destroy homes and natural resources and put the lives of our firefighters at risk. Report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Always assume a fire has gone unreported. Please be vigilant when enjoying our beautiful forests, and keep your eyes and ears open for any wildfire activity.

AIR QUALITY INFORMATION

Code Orange air quality is still possible in parts of the mountains and foothills.

Date: 11/26/16 - 15:00 ET
Forecast Valid: Sunday, 11/27/16

Today's Air Quality Conditions: As of early afternoon, the only monitor within the Code Orange range was in Marion/McDowell County, which is being impacted by smoke from the Clear Creek Fire. Areas of Code Orange air quality are possible near active and smoldering wildfires, especially in Macon County and areas to the west and southwest of Asheville. Code Orange air quality may also be occurring near the Horton Fire in Watauga County. Across the rest of the state particle pollution is mainly in the Code Yellow range.

Air Quality Conditions: For a display of the most recent air quality conditions throughout the remainder of this afternoon, please visit the US EPA's AIRNOW web site, http://www.airnow.gov.

General Forecast Discussion: High pressure will build over the area. Skies will be clear and winds will start out light northerly/northwesterly and then will become light and variable after midnight. Areas near active wildfires, and very near smoldering fires, may experience Code Orange to Code Red smoke concentrations. Macon and McDowell Counties are likely to experience the greatest smoke. Southern Henderson and southern Transylvania Counties may be impacted by smoke from the Pinnacle Fire along the NC/SC border.

High pressure will transition eastward over the area, and winds will pick up out of the southwest during Sunday afternoon. Smoke will pool/spread near wildfires early and will tend to drift north/northeast during the afternoon. The greatest impacts will be in the areas mentioned above. Impacts further downwind are more uncertain, and will depend on future smoke production. Since the downwind impacts are uncertain at this time, the greater Asheville area, as well as Burke, Mitchell, Caldwell and Yancey Counties are held at Code Yellow, but may be upgraded to Code Orange tomorrow if conditions warrant. Outside the fires, particle pollution will trend upward into the upper Code Green range.

Outlook: High pressure will shift offshore on Monday and a warm southwest flow will develop. Particle pollution will generally trend upward into the upper Code Green to lower Code Yellow range away from the smoke. Any leftover smoke will be transported north to northeast, and patchy smoke may lead to Code Orange air quality near and downwind/northeast of active wildfires. A frontal system with wetting rain will arrive on Monday night and Tuesday to hopefully extinguish the fires and put an end to our bouts of smoke.

Dry high pressure will build into the region through Sunday. Deep layer moisture will increase ahead of an approaching cold front on Monday, with some much-needed widespread rainfall expected Tuesday and Wednesday. Cool and dry high pressure will return Thursday through Saturday.

WEATHER INFORMATION

Weekend Forecast: Gusty northwest winds will continue until late Saturday afternoon. Recent visible satellite images indicated noticeable smoke plumes from the Muskrat, Rock Mountains, Pinnacle Mountain, and Clear Creek wildfire sites.  By Sunday, high pressure will be over the mountains with calm winds can cool temperatures.

Monday-Thursday Forecast: Weather models are in agreement that a significant precipitation event will occur late Monday/early Tuesday. Up to 2 inches of rain are forecast for the mountains during this first rain event. More precipitation will move into the area on Wednesday bring an additional 1 and 3 inches over the area, with higher amounts along the southwest facing slopes of the NC/SC/GA mountains.  The rain ends early Thursday.

Weather: The National Weather Service hosts the Enhanced Data Display, a web-based mapping product that provides real-time observed and forecasted weather data. You can access the interactive map at http://tinyurl.com/jmthjuv. The QR code for your mobile device is :

TODAY’S UPDATES ON ACTIVE FIRES OR FIRE COMPLEXES

Only those fires being actively managed and staffed are included in the Evening Summary.

HWY 151 FIRE (USFS – CANDLER, BUNCOMBE COUNTY)

The Blue Ridge Parkway is open; Hwy 151 cannot be accessed from the Blue Ridge Parkway due to the gate being closed.

Acreage: 245— Containment: 30% — Personnel: 51 — Start Date: November 24

HORTON FIRE (NCFS – BLOWING ROCK, WATAUGA COUNTY)
Updates for this fire will be provided in the Morning Summary.
Acreage: 1450 — Containment: 65% — Personnel: 125 — Start Date: November 21
http://hortonfire.blogspot.com/

  

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

Updates for this fire will be provided in the Morning Summary.

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 on the Boteler Fire is assigned management of this fire.

Crews began repairing areas damaged by fire-suppression activities and minimizing potential soil erosion. 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.

Scooper planes took water from Santeelah Lake and dropped it on the fire's edge to create a so-called wet line in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness. Along with natural barriers, the wet line eventually halted the fire's progression. Because firefighters are unable to patrol the wet line on foot, an aerial observer monitors it every day, and a plane with infrared mapping technology is used every night to locate pockets of lingering heat. The most recent flight detected one hotspot well inside the containment line. Fire managers are confident that this isolated heat source does not pose a threat to natural barriers or firelines.

Crews are patrolling and monitoring containment lines outside the wilderness. They are nearly finished repairing roads, firelines, staging areas and drop points that were constructed during or impacted by fire-suppression activities.

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.
  Today, crews worked on two firing operations: On the west side, they started at Wayah   Bald and moved southwest along Forest Road 69 to Wilson Lick, where they   connected with a hand-constructed fireline. They will continue slowly and carefully   proceeding around private cabins between FR 69 and Wayah Road (State Road   1310). On the east side, from the top of Trimont Ridge, they will continue working   down the north and south-facing slopes from Wayah Bald east to Locust Tree Branch   Road. On south-facing slopes of Trimont Ridge, the fire is expected to move   downslope into the Camp Branch drainage and Locust Tree Gap. On north-facing   slopes of Trimont Ridge, which are shaded from the sun and where fire behavior   should be minimal, fire managers expect it to back slowly downslope to the Left Prong   of Ray Branch Creek. This firing operation likely generate significant amounts of   smoke that will be visible from nearby communities.
  Acreage: 1,363 – 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)
Leaf fall created some reburning within the fire perimeter. 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.

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)
Updates for this fire will be provided in the Morning Summary.

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; Firefighters are still working to mop up and locate hot spots while keeping firelines clean of leaf litter.
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)
Fire Managers and National Resource Advisors will provide a fire update 4:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 27, 2016 at the Palmetto Cove RV Park located at 521 Table Rock Road in Cleveland, South Carolina.

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: 9,147— Containment: 48% — Personnel: 253 — Start Date: November 9
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5108/

  

FOREST AND TRAIL CLOSURES

Nantahala National Forest Closures

http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/nfsnc/alerts-notices

Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests (relative to the ROCK MOUNTAIN FIRE)

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/conf/home/?cid=fseprd523949

Appalachian Trail (A.T.)

http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/trail-updates