Evans Road Fire July 18,2008 Update
Incident: Evans Road Wildland Fire
Released: 7/18/2008
Current Status
· The Evans Road Fire is 75% contained at 41,553 acres. The additional acreage is due to an active surface fire than crossed over Western Road. Firefighters report 10-15 foot flame lengths and aggressive firefighting activity still continues.
· The Evans Road Fire has not received rain in several days and that has helped to dry out forest fuels. There were numerous ground fires and several isolated flare-ups near the North & South Forks of the Alligator River.
· Sixty-two percent of the fire has burned on US Fish and Wildlife Lands. Thirty-eight percent of the fire has burned on state and private lands.
· The Evans Road Incident Command Post has been moved to 142 Swamp Road in Pantego.
· A burning ban remains in effect for Hyde, Washington, Tyrrell and Beaufort counties and other counties in southeastern North Carolina. A final decision has not been made regarding the removal of the ban for the affected areas.
· Forty-six wildland fire engines are assigned to the fire today. Firefighters use these four-wheel-drive vehicles to patrol the perimeter of the fire and suppress hot spots or flare-ups that would otherwise undermine roadways.
· 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 .
For additional information on the fire, visit the Pocosin Lakes Wildlife Refuge web site at: http://www.fws.gov/pocosinlakes
Resources on the Fire
297 personnel, 11 tractor/plow units, 5 water tenders; 46 engines & 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; Cisco Systems; Bureau of Land Management; local volunteer fire departments.
Plans for Tomorrow
Drafting & sprinkler operations will continue in order to assist in providing fire extinguishment in peat soils and reinforcement of containment lines.
