The Grindstone Trail fire at Pilot Mountain State Park weighs heavily on the minds of residents in the Yadkin Valley. With air quality warnings going out for the Triad and smoke now making its way into Virginia, the smoldering fire is on peoples’ lips and minds.
Officials said the blaze, which has burned more than 1,050 acres on Pilot Mountain, is about 20% contained and is burning only inside the park. The NC Forest Service said Tuesday there were containment lines around the fire, and some of those date back to 2012 when another wildfire burned nearly the “exact same footprint.”
The fire appears at this time to have been caused by human activity, according to Jimmy Holt, Guilford County Forest Service Ranger. Despite reports otherwise, there has been no determination the fire was intentionally set. “It could have been something as simple as a cigarette butt,” Pilot Mountain Mayor Even Cockerham said.
As local residents know, November has been exceptionally dry with only three-tenths an inch of rain having fallen. This area should average around three inches of rain in November, and unfortunately there is no precipitation seen in the forecast to aid the firefighters.
These dry conditions are not unique to this area, as is evidenced by the latest drought monitor map for North Carolina. Currently 49 of 100 North Carolina counties are listed in “moderate drought” and 29 are in “abnormally dry” conditions.
This year is on pace to top the total number of wildfires and the total acreage burned across the state from 2020. Last year saw 2,302 wildfires burning 7,800 acres, whereas to date 2,801 fires have scorched 8,400 total acres.
With a new fire having started Tuesday on Pogue Mountain, just outside of Marion, the 2021 totals are sadly incomplete. Rugged terrain with difficult access awaits the firefighters of the new 50-acre Pogue fire, and much like this area – Marion has no rain in the forecast.
Pilot Mountain State Park remains closed until further notice, drivers along US 52 are still encouraged to use caution, turn on headlights and reduce speed if necessary.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture announced on Monday evening that the N.C. Forest Service issued a statewide ban on all open burning and canceled all burning permits. The ban went into effect Monday 5 p.m. and will last until further notice. Permits for existing burns are covered under this ban.
More updates will be forthcoming as they are made available.
Source: https://www.mtairynews.com
Be First to Comment