Crews fighting 1,888 acre wildfire on Tennessee - North Carolina state line
The U.S. Forest Service is calling it the Black Bear Fire. It’s located in Haywood County, North Carolina and, as of Tuesday afternoon, sits at 1,888 acres and 42% contained.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Around 200 firefighters and Forest Service crewmembers are fighting an almost 2,000-acre wildfire on the state line between Tennessee and North Carolina.
The U.S. Forest Service is calling it the Black Bear Fire. It’s located about three miles into North Carolina and, as of Tuesday afternoon, sits at 1,888 acres and 42% contained. Forest officials said that overnight rain and gusty winds have reduced visibility in the area and said that heavy fuel on the ground like logs could reignite parts of the fire, since they retain heat well.
“While flames may not be visible, fuels will continue to smolder, and smoke will be visible,” forest officials said. The fire is also located along I-40, meaning drivers especially could see smoke or flames.
At this time, no evacuations have been ordered. The North Carolina Forest Service offers an online tracking tool for keeping up with wildfires in the area, which you can access here.
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