11/24/16 Maple Springs/Old Roughy Fire Morning Update 8:30AM

Summary:

• Light rain fell over the Maple Springs Fire Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. The cloudy, damper conditions will reduce the chance of fire spread and be conducive to mopping up containment lines. 
• Containment on the Maple Springs Fire increased from 69 to 71 percent on Wednesday and the estimated size of the fire remains at 7,877 acres. The Old Roughy Fire, meanwhile, is 100 percent contained at 657 acres.
• The Type 1 Southern Area Blue Team took command of the fire Wednesday morning and the Maple Springs Fire is now being managed as part of the Nantahala Branch. 
• With the departure of the Type 2 Rocky Mountain Incident Management Blue Team on Wednesday, the number of personnel working on the fire dropped to 208, a reduction of more than 50 personnel. 
• Firefighter efforts now consist primarily of patrolling and mopping up containment lines while rehabilitating areas disturbed by suppression actions. An excavator is being used to repair dozer lines and firefighters are spreading seed and fertilizer in cleared areas to reduce the potential for erosion due to runoff in the spring. 
• On Wednesday, helicopters dropped water on an area of heat that was putting up smoke along a ridge on the northwest corner of the fire. It is one of the few remaining areas of isolated heat on the fire. A reconnaissance flight later in the afternoon following the water drops showed no smoke in the area. 

A U.S. Forest Service closure order remains in effect for the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock
Wilderness and roads leading into the area.

Fire Size:

Maple Springs Fire
7,788 acres, 71% contained

Old Roughy Fire 

657 acres, 100% contained

Location: 

North of Lake Santeetlah

Started: 

11/04/16 Maple Springs 

11/08/16 Old Roughy 

Causes to be determined. 

Total personnel: 

208 responders 

Management: 

Southern Area Type 1 Blue Team 

Burn ban in effect: 

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

Air Quality Reports: 

http://webcam.srs.fs.fed.us/wildfires/WNC_Fires_AQ_Summary.pdf

Incident Information: http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5090/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MapleSpringsFire/
Fire Information Phone Line: 828-407-0653; Media Line 828-552-4730 today

Location: Maple Springs Fire/Old Roughy Fire, Graham County

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