The situation on smokey Pilot Mountain did not improve Sunday evening with the fire making “significant gains” overnight according to Jimmy Holt, Guilford County Ranger for the North Carolina Forestry Service. The acreage burned numbers have been reported in a wide range, however it was confirmed Monday morning to be more than 400 acres according to Eric Southern of Surry County Emergency Services.
Monday morning, aircraft were back in the air to assess where the fire is located. These reconnaissance missions are to scout the fire from the air so then an actionable fire plan can be made for implementation beginning Tuesday. There are no plans for any water drops on the fire Monday.
On the ground, the firefighting strategy remains containment. Parks Service and North Carolina Forestry Service are managing the scene on the ground, and Southern said they have containment around the fire. State officials along with local agencies have grown their ranks to around 60 personnel to combat the Pilot Mountain blaze. Southern reports no injuries to personnel have been reported at this time.
The windy and dry conditions are not helping, and Holt noted that today would be the worst day for such. The on-the-scene management of the fire is being transitioned from a District Incident event to a Type II operation. Due to the size and the possibility of structures that may be affected, Holt explained the fire needed a reclassification in order to bring additional funds and resources to bear.
Currently the fire is contained on state owned land, and Holt felt comfortable it would stay as such. The public can assist the firefighting operations by staying away from Pilot Mountain State Park, the park is closed until further notice. While no reports have been made, to drone pilots a request for no aerial photography has been made for the area.
Ranger Holt wanted to let the public know that the crews fighting these fires on the scene are well taken care of and they appreciate all the prayers and well wishes. An outpouring of support online and requests for assistance were met quickly by the community.
From the town of Pilot Mountain:
“There has been tremendous support from our community with donations of water, drinks, and snacks! Thank you! At this time, our Fire Chief and Rescue Chief are requesting monetary donations only. Donations will be going to both the Pilot Knob Vol. Fire Department and Pilot Mountain Rescue and EMS and can be made in person at Town Hall with cash, check, or card.”
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
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