 All the fires in North Carolina continue with some level of downsizing as the wetter weather and cooler temperatures dampen fire behavior. Those fires still reported in this summary are actively involved in initiating or completing post-fire stabilization and rehabilitation projects. Incident Management Teams make assessments of what projects are necessary based upon soil burn severity, soils, topography and other factors, which help them determine where, when and what type of rehabilitation methods to best deploy. Plans and projects are specific for each fire perimeter; once completed, these projects accomplish different objectives to encourage regrowth and mitigate erosion. AIR QUALITY INFORMATION Forecast Valid: Friday 12/2/16 Air Quality Conditions: Fine particulate concentrations in the Code Green range are being observed at all monitors across the state. For a display of the most recent air quality conditions throughout the remainder of this afternoon, please visit theUS EPA's AIRNOW web site. General Forecast Discussion: High pressure will build overhead with sunny skies, cool temperatures, low dew points and light westerly winds bringing in a generally clean air mass from the Ohio Valley. Additionally, wildfire smoke is nonexistent on satellite imagery today, and it isn't expected to impact air quality in North Carolina Friday. Code Green conditions are expected statewide. Outlook: High pressure, mostly sunny skies and dry weather will remain in place through Saturday, with increasing clouds and areas of drizzle building in for Sunday as a storm system develops in the Deep South. Particle pollution levels should build into the middle and upper Code Green range statewide Saturday with localized Code Yellow conditions possible in the Charlotte and Triangle regions Sunday. TODAY'S UPDATES ON ACTIVE FIRES OR FIRE COMPLEXES Only those fires being actively managed and staffed are included in the Evening Summary. HORTON FIRE (NCFS - BLOWING ROCK, WATAUGA COUNTY) Over three inches of rain have helped firefighters extinguish hot spots. Although the rain significantly cooled surface heat, more moisture is necessary to reach deep-seated pockets of heat that hold out in stump holes. Acreage: 1,450 - Containment: 95% - Personnel: 50 - Start Date: November 21 http://hortonfire.blogspot.com/ CLEAR CREEK FIRE (NCFS / USFS - MARION, MCDOWELL COUNTY). Fire will reach 100% containment at the end of shift. Firefighters will continue to assess and work on rehabilitation projects as the fire area dries out over the next few days. Most of the remaining crews are expected to be released from the fire on Saturday, December 3. The fire will continue to be monitored by the Grandfather Ranger District, US Forest Service. Today, three groups of students from McDowell County High School toured the incident command post (ICP), and two groups will tour the ICP tomorrow. This is the last update provided in the Evening Summary. Acreage: 3,163 - Containment: 100% - Personnel: 143 - Start Date: November 20 http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5106/# BOTELER FIRE, MAPLE SPRINGS AND NANTAHALA BRANCH FIRES (USFS-CHUNKY GAL AREA, CLAY COUNTY) The Southern Area Blue Team is assigned management of the Boteler Fire, Maple Springs Fire and the Nantahala Branch Fires. Under this branch, Camp Branch Fire is active. The fires being patrolled/monitored are: Tellico Fire, Old Roughy Fire, Buck Creek Fire, Falls Fire, Grape Cove Fire, Moses Creek Fire, Jones Gap Fire, Jarrett Knob Fire, Wine Spring Fire, Mulberry Fire, Moss Knob Fire, May Branch Fire, Boardtree Fire, Charley Creek Fire, Nick Fire, Ridge Gap Fire, Ferebee Fire, Cliffside Fire, Whitewater Fire, Howard Gap Fire, Knob Fire, Muskrat Fire, Bullpen Fire, Jones Creek Fire, Cathey Gap Fire, Dick's Creek Fire. Rain continued to assist firefighting efforts on all fires in the region. Crews mopped up firelines, as well as patrolled and cleared leaf fall from established containment lines. Firefighters also assessed suppression-repair needs and began restoration efforts. Any hotspots that remain on the larger fires are well within the perimeter and may continue to produce smoke; however, any interior reburning that exists does not threaten containment lines. Excess resources were released and made available to assist with other fires. This update pertains to the following fires:
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5075/
http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5090/
Acreage: 3,422 - Containment: 75% - Personnel: 285 - Start Date: November 23 http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5110/# ROCK MOUNTAIN FIRE (USFS - SOUTHERN NANTAHALA WILDERNESS AREA, NORTH GEORGIA AND CLAY AND MACON COUNTIES IN NC) The following roads remain closed: Coleman River Road, Patterson Gap Road and Abe Gap Road. Fire activity remained light, smoldering with little to no smoke or movement. Wet and slippery road conditions posed a challenge as firefighters patrolled, mopped up and began fire suppression repairs. They will continue to hold and improve dozer/handlines in and around all structures and backhaul fire equipment and supplies away from the fireline. Resource Advisors assessed dozer and handlines for fire suppression repair plans and supervised repair activities. Acreage: 24,725- Containment: 63% - Personnel: 605 - Start Date: November 9 http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5100/# PINNACLE MOUNTAIN FIRE (SCFS / USFS - PICKENS AND TRANSYLVANIA COUNTIES) Division supervisors scouting the fire's boundary, reported good containment, and incident command officials are encouraged that the lines continue to hold well. Crews may return to the most recently active portions on the northeastern section of the fire once the slick terrain and soaked ground dries out more. As conditions improve over the next several days, firefighters will return to the fire's edge to reinforce the lines and backfire unburned areas where possible. Line improvement operations and mop-up operations likely will continue for weeks. Table Rock State Park Trail Closures: Carrick Creek Trail, Table Rock Trail, Pinnacle Mountain Trail and the Foothills trail portion that is located on Table Rock. For more information, please contact the park directly at 864-878-9813 or tablerock@scprt.com. Acreage: 10,560 - Containment: 65% - Personnel: 137 - Start Date: November 9 http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5108/ Media Advisory: For all information about the Pinnacle Mountain Fire and the ongoing response in South Carolina, all media should contact the Pinnacle Mountain Joint Information Center at (864) 898-2437 or pmfjic@gmail.com. OTHER PERTINENT LINKS Nantahala National Forest Closures http://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/nfsnc/alerts-notices/?aid=37740 Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests (relative to the ROCK MOUNTAIN FIRE) http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/conf/home/?cid=fseprd523949 Appalachian Trail (A.T.) http://www.appalachiantrail.org/home/explore-the-trail/trail-updates The latest information is available on the Joint Information Center blog at http://ncjic.blogspot.com/for the following topics:
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