Fire contained in national forests
Cals Creek Fire. U.S. Forest Service photo
Firefighters continued to make progress containing the Camp Daniel Boone Fire in Haywood County and the Cals Creek Fire in Macon County. Firefighters are monitoring the fires, which are 80 to 90 percent contained. Unless conditions change, no additional fire activity is expected on either fire. This will be the last update on the Camp Daniel Boone and Cals Creek fires.
The Camp Daniel Boone Fire remained at 72 acres and is now 80 percent contained. The fire started Friday, April 3 on private property off Little East Fork Road and burned into the Shining Rock Wilderness Area on the Pisgah Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. Ten US Forest Service firefighters remain on scene to monitor the fire and patrol for any remaining hot spots near the fire lines. The northern Art Loeb and Little East Fork trailheads remain closed due to the fire operations but are expected to reopen later in the week. For updates on these closures, contact the Pisgah Ranger District, 828.877.3265.
Firefighting resources to contain the Camp Daniel Boone Fire included federal and state forestry agencies as well as the Lake Logan Volunteer Fire Department (VFD). The Lake Logan VFD provided 19 volunteers and a variety of firefighting equipment to protect numerous structures for the first 24 hours. The assistance of these dedicated volunteers is critical in the success of US Forest Service firefighting efforts.
The Cals Creek Fire remained at 90 acres and is now 90 percent contained. The fire started on Friday, April 3, and is burning on US Forest Service land in the Nantahala Ranger District of Nantahala National Forest east Otto. Thirty firefighters remain on scene. Firefighters are continuing to monitor the fire and are extinguishing any remaining hot spots near the fire lines. Firefighting resources to contain the Cals Creek fire included federal and state forestry agencies as well as fire crews from The Nature Conservancy.
The cause of both fires remains under investigation.
We are in spring wildfire season, and fire danger is expected to remain high across Western North Carolina this week. Due to these extended hazardous fire conditions, the North Carolina Forest Service issued a ban on all open burning for 32 Western North Carolina counties. The burning ban went into effect on April 3, and will remain in effect until further notice. For more information, visit https://ncforestservice.gov/news_pubs/newsdesk_2020.htm.
The US Forest Service urges the public to practice caution as they visit the national forests. Visitors are asked to follow guidance under the burn ban and consider postponing their camping trips. Stay up to date on current national forest closures at: www.fs.usda.gov/goto/currentclosures.
Review the National Forests in North Carolina website for updates and more information at www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nfsnc, and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nfsncarolina.
