Evans Road Fire Update - July 25, 2008
Incident: Evans Road Wildfire
Released: 7/25/2008
Current Status
·Firefighters on the Evans Road Fire are using high-tech portable weather stations called RAWS (Remote Automated Weather Station) to predict weather on the fire and protect firefighters on the lines. Four RAWS have been strategically placed on different sides of the fire to collect vital, site-specific weather data that can quickly warn firefighters of weather changes that might put them at risk. Each RAWS is capable of collecting information on wind speed and direction, peak winds, air temperature, fuel temperature, fuel moisture, relative humidity and warning systems related to low humidity and high winds. Alarm warnings alert firefighters of potentially dangerous fire conditions so that they can take appropriate safety action. RAWS also collects precipitant accumulation.
·Yesterday, on average, the fire received a half inch of rain and that makes it four good days of rain. Firefighters continue to flood hot spots and heat sources that have been pinpointed by infrared imagery. Today's strategy is to construct hard-line pipes on the north side of New Lake. By using the downhill slope, firefighters will flood the hot spots in an effort to raise the water table. Firefighters are patrolling on a routine basis looking for hotspots.
·Peat soils are 90% organic matter that has been compressed over many years. They tend to burn like charcoal briquettes, slowly, evenly releasing lots of heat. Heat that is released tends to dry out the adjacent peat soil thus moving laterally underneath the surface. Peat soil fires can burn for months and even years (Florida, Minnesota and Scotland are good examples). Significant snowfall, tropical storms and hurricanes can significantly increase the water table, helping to suppress these fires.
· The Evans Road Fire is 75% contained at 40,704 acres. The reduction in acreage is due to more accurate mapping of the uncontrolled fireline on the NE side. This reduction also changes the percentage of the fire area on State, private and Federal lands. To date, sixty (60%) percent of the fire has burned on US Fish and Wildlife Lands. Forty (40%) percent of the fire has burned on state and private lands.
·Caution is advised while driving as smoke can reduce visibility on highways. Smoke advisories may be found at: www.weather.gov/mhx. A map of forecast smoke impact areas may be found at www.ncair.org/news/pr/2008/smoke warning.shtml.
Resources on the Fire
251 personnel, 12 tractor/plow units, 3 water tenders; 41 engines, 2 camp crews & 1 helicopter.
Cooperators
Florida Division of Forestry, Georgia Forestry Commission, Kentucky Division of Forestry, Mississippi Forestry Commission, South Carolina Forestry Commission, Tennessee Division of Forestry, Virginia Department of Forestry, US Fish & Wildlife Service; Hyde, Tyrrell & Washington County Emergency Management; NC Division of Emergency Management; National Weather Service; Department of Transportation; Department of Defense; Hyde County; Hyde County Sheriff's Office; National Park Service; NC Division of Parks and Recreation; NC Division of Water Quality; NCWRC, Division of Wildlife Management; NC Division of Air Quality, NC Highway Patrol; NC Office of State Fire Marshal; USDA-Forest Service; Bureau of Land Management; local volunteer fire departments.
Plans for Tomorrow
Pumping & sprinkler operations will continue providing reinforcement of containment lines.
For Evans Road Fire Information, please call:
Cell 252-943-7700
New Office Line 252-943-3192
Contact: Nigel Baker
Public Information Officer
ERF.Information@ncmail.net
