Firefighters make progress on Bee Rock Creek Fire in McDowell County
Firefighters have achieved 27% containment of the Bee Rock Creek Fire, which has burned 1,047 acres in steep terrain and storm debris near the Armstrong State Fish Hatchery. Efforts to secure containment lines included mopping up along Armstrong Creek Road and extinguishing hotspots. Helicopters supported ground crews by dropping water to slow the fire's growth.
Data from an infrared flight last night indicated heat near the south side of the Blue Ridge Parkway. This morning, firefighters, including two Interagency Hotshot crews, investigated the area on foot and with a drone but did not find a fire.
If weather conditions permit, firefighters plan to implement strategic firing operations to reduce unburned fuel between the fire and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Smoke from these operations may affect McDowell, Mitchell, and Yancey counties.
"Firefighters use carefully planned strategic firing operations while weather conditions will keep fire behavior low," officials said. In preparation, crews have removed storm debris and constructed dozer lines from the Parkway towards the main fire area on the east and west sides to contain the fire.
The National Forests in North Carolina have issued a closure order for the Bee Creek Fire area. National Forest System lands between Armstrong Creek Road and the Blue Ridge Parkway are closed to the public for safety.
The USDA Forest Service, North Carolina Forest Service, Natio
nal Park Service, McDowell County, and Woodlawn Fire Department have deployed 174 personnel to suppress the fire and create containment lines.McDowell County Emergency Management has issued an evacuation order for all residences on Wild Acres Road off NC 226 A.
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