Evans Road Fire Update July 19, 2008
Incident: Evans Road Wildland Fire
Released: 7/19/2008
Current Status
· Aircraft equipped with sophisticated infrared imaging equipment conducted a flight over the Evans Road Fire. The images indicated there are isolated hot spots. The system is capable of peering through heavy smoke and darkness to see hot spots, flames and temperature differences, processing the imagery on-board, and then transmitting that information in near real time so it can aid fire incident commanders in allocating their firefighting resources.
· The ban on open burning in the affected counties is cancelled effective at noon today: Washington, Tyrell, Beaufort; Hyde, Brunswick; Columbus, Bladen, Duplin; Pender and New Hanover counties. Officials are warning that if the drought continues and there is an increase in the number of wildfires, the ban on open burning could be reinstated. Some communities are allowing burning only during specified hours while others forbid it entirely. Check with local government officials to determine if burning is approved in your area.
· A tropical storm warning is in effect from the North Carolina/Virginia border south to south Santee River South Carolina. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected within the warning area within the next 24 hours. The concern about this tropical storm is the event bringing in high winds without rain. The high winds can spread embers and start new fires. A 40% chance of rain is expected and welcomed.
· The Evans Road Fire is 75% contained at 41,553 acres. Sixty-two (62%) percent of the fire has burned on US Fish and Wildlife Lands. Thirty-eight (38%) percent of the fire has burned on state and private lands.
· Forty-three 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
271 personnel, 10 tractor/plow units, 5 water tenders; 43 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; 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.
