Size: 790 acres Location: 7 miles west of Robbinsville, NC. County: Graham

Start Date: April 12, 2025 Cause: Lightning Containment: 0% Total Personnel: 85

ROBBINSVILLE, N.C., April 17, 2025 – The Haoe Lead Fire is burning within the Joyce Kilmer￾Slickrock Wilderness of the Cheoah Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest, approximately 7 miles west of Robbinsville, North Carolina, and 2 miles west of Lake Santeetlah. The fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy and is burning predominantly in hardwood leaf litter in steep and rugged terrain. Much of the fire is burning within the fire scar of the 2016 Maple Springs Fire. Public and firefighter safety is the highest priority in managing this fire.

Yesterday’s Activities – Fire personnel strengthened containment lines on the southern portion of the fire near the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail (TR 43) and trailhead and explored opportunities to engage the fire near State Road 1127 (Maple Springs Road). A helicopter reconnaissance flight provided more accurate mapping of the fire perimeter.

Today’s Activities – The Southern Area Gray Team, led by Incident Commander Mitch Ketron, today assumed command of the Haoe Lead Fire. Personnel will continue to focus their efforts on the southern and eastern portions of the fire. An early afternoon helicopter reconnaissance flight is planned, and additional aviation assets are available to fire managers if needed.

Weather and Smoke – Today will be mostly sunny with a high temperature of 70 degrees and minimum humidity of 26 percent. Winds are expected to be light and variable. Fire activity is expected to increase in the late afternoon, particularly on south and west facing slopes, then decrease after sundown. Smoke will be visible from area roads and communities. Air quality information can be found at https://fire.airnow.gov/.

Closures – The National Forests of North Carolina has implemented an emergency closure on the national forest lands in the Haoe Lead Fire area for the safety of both the public and fire personnel. The fire is burning entirely on national forest lands. There are no evacuations in effect at this time.

The following trails within the closure area are closed: Slickrock Creek (TR 42), Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop (TR 43), Haoe Lead (TR 53), Jenkins Meadow (TR 53A), Stratton Bald (TR 54), Naked Ground (TR 55), Hangover Lead (TR 56), Wolf Laurel (TR 57), and Strawberry Knob (TR 217-H). Several of these local trails are also sections of the Benton MacKaye Trail.

Aircraft and Drone Restrictions – The public is asked not to fly any type of aircraft, including drones, near the fire area. Unauthorized drone (UAS) flights pose serious risks to the effectiveness of wildfire suppression operations. Aerial firefighting is suspended when unauthorized UAS are in the area, allowing wildfires to grow larger. If you fly, we can't

Fire officials on the Lolo National Forest may implement prescribed fire operations today, as weather and fuels conditions allow. 

Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District: Firefighters plan to conduct up to 25 acres of understory burning on the 2 Shorty units, 6 miles west of Thompson Falls.  Minimal smoke impacts are anticipated; however, smoke may be visible from Thompson Falls. 

2 Shorty Prescribed Burn

Fri, 04/18/2025 - 14:23

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2 Shorty Prescribed Burn

2 Shorty Prescribed Fire Plains/Thompson Falls Ranger District, April 18, 2025

Superior Ranger District: Firefighters will burn up to 60 acres in the Second Chance project area, 8 miles southeast of Superior in the North Fork Second Creek drainage on Forest Service Road 283.  The purpose of this burn is to reduce hazardous fuels created by previous management operations from the  Second Chance Timber Sale. 

Ignitions will be conducted utilizing a helicopter and a firing device called a ‘helitorch’. A helitorch is an aerial ignition device suspended below the helicopter to disperse an ignition source. Using a helicopter for prescribed burning allows fire managers to conduct burns more efficiently over large areas. Firefighters will be present on the ground to patrol and monitor the progress of the burn.   The helicopter will be operating out of Mineral County Airport. Smoke may be visible from Interstate 90 in the Lozeau area.

See map below. 

Evacuation Order Issued for all of Wild Acres Rd. off NC 226A.

McDowell County Emergency Management has issued an evacuation order for all residences on Wild Acres Rd. off of NC 226 A near Little Switzerland due to a wildfire.  This evacuation order includes Wild Acres Retreat.  Anyone on Wild Acres Rd. who needs emergency sheltering is asked to call 828-652-3241 for assistance. 

A wildfire is currently burning south of Wild Acres Rd. and north of Armstrong Creek Rd.  The fire is being managed using unified command between NC Forest Service, US Forest Service, and Woodlawn Fire Department. Multiple agencies from across McDowell County are also on the scene with out of county departments from Mitchell, Yancey, Avery and Burke assisting.   

Citizens are asked to avoid the area of Wild Acres Rd. and Armstrong Creek Rd. to ensure the safety of emergency personnel.

MARION, N.C., April 17, 2025 – Bee Rock Creek Fire - Grandfather Ranger District. 

The USDA Forest Service along with the North Carolina Forest Service, McDowell County and Woodlawn Fire Department are responding to the Bee Rock Creek Fire.
 

The fire is estimated at 504 acres with 10% containment as it moves through steep terrain and
heavy storm debris in McDowell County near the Armstrong Fish Hatchery. About 180 personnel
are assigned to the fire.
 

Firefighters are using direct and indirect suppression tactics along the fire's edge. Helicopters are
dropping water to slow the fire's progress.
 

Yesterday crews put out a spot fire that crossed Rose's Creek on the east side of the fire.
 

McDowell County has issued evacuation orders on Wild Acre Road off NC 226A.
 

The cause of the fire is under investigation.
 

Please be aware of smoke and crews in the area. Drive slowly and use caution on any
roads where smoke may be settling. For more information on smoke and air quality you
can use NC Dept of Environmental Quality’s website:
https://www.deq.nc.gov/.../smoke-wildfires-prescribed-burns
or fire.airnow.gov: https://fire.airnow.gov
 

Media Contact: Dana Hodde, (251)-391-0763
 

Click to view McDowell County’s live evacuation map.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?
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697516982186%2C-82.10887415396259&z=14

RMNP fire staff patrolled the Front Country Prescribed Fire overnight and monitored the perimeter of the 60-acre burn area. Additional crews are working today, continuing to secure and monitor the burn area.

Smoke will be visible throughout the day. As the air cools tonight, smoke may settle in low lying areas overnight. Smoke may affect your health: For more information visit https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/cdphe/wood-smoke-and-health.

Fire crews were successful in introducing low-to-moderate intensity fire on the landscape in RMNP through this prescribed burn and have removed fuels including grasses and low shrubs. Another goal of this prescribed fire was to raise the bottom of the canopies of trees and to increase crown spacing within the fire area. This work will help serve as a fuel break against potential future wildfires.

Fire managers and the leadership team at Rocky Mountain National Park would like to thank all of the cooperating agencies that provided resources and invaluable support to help with yesterday's operation on the Headquarters Unit of the Front Country Prescribed Fire. This successful operation would not have been possible without the support of our local, regional, and federal partners.

We would like to thank RMNP Fire Personnel, including the Alpine Interagency Hotshot Crew, Estes Valley Fire Protection District, Loveland Fire Rescue Authority, and Lefthand Fire Protection District. We would also like to thank the US National Weather Service Denver/Boulder Colorado and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

Projects like this are only possible with the help and support of our partners!

Image Credit: NPS Photo

Smoke will continue to be visible in the area today, with occasional heavy increases in smoke production on some units. Fire crews are continuing to work in the area patrolling the project, removing hazard trees near trails, and preparing for the incoming precipitation in the forecast. In the interest of public and firefighter safety, a forest closure remains in effect for the area. 

Today crews were successful in introducing low-to-moderate intensity fire on the landscape and have removed fuels, including grasses and low shrubs. Another goal of this prescribed fire is to raise the bottoms of the canopies of trees and to increase crown spacing within the burn area.

To do this, some low branches on trees may burn in addition to the grasses and nearby brush. Raising the “crown base height” of trees decreases the likelihood that a future wildfire would move into the canopies of the trees. This work will help serve as a fuel break against potential future wildfires.

Fire crews will remain on site overnight. Visibility along U.S. Highway 36 has improved and smoke will continue to linger.

Fire personnel at Rocky Mountain National Park have successfully completed a test fire for the Front Country Prescribed Fire. The park will continue with its plan for ignitions today, April 15.

U.S. Highway 36 from Beaver Meadows Visitor Center to Bear Lake junction is now closed until approximately 2pm today. Visitors will need to enter and exit the park through the Fall River Entrance on US 34. Beaver Meadows Visitor Center remains open today.

Visitors and neighboring communities may see smoke in the area, however, due to the fuel type being burned, which includes mainly grasses and small shrubs, heavy and prolonged smoke is not expected from this operation.