Evans Road Fire Update July 22, 2008
Incident: Evans Road Wildland Fire
Released: 7/22/2008
Current Status
· Today, the Evans Road Fire received an average of one inch of rain. Fourteen 24-hour rain gauges were strategically placed throughout the fire area to capture and track rainfall progress. Some areas of the fire received more rain than others. However, significant rain is needed to penetrate the surface and saturate deep into the peat that is burning.
· There have been a number of negative impacts on the environment from the Evans Road Fire, but this fire is having a positive impact on the local economy. Cooperators have made a considerate effort to purchase needed supplies and services, from offices supplies to food, from local vendors.
· Safety is being stressed to all firefighters. Concerns about: (1) dead trees with exposed root systems and moist soil can create a toppling effect, (2) heat exhaustion, (3) re-burn from dead pine needles and leaf litter can ignite, starting a new surface fire.
· The Evans Road Fire is 75% contained at 40,704. 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 .
For additional information on the impacts to the refuge, visit the Pocosin Lakes Wildlife Refuge web site at: http://www.fws.gov/pocosinlakes
Resources on the Fire
283 personnel, 12 tractor/plow units, 5 water tenders; 40 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
Drafting & sprinkler operations will continue in order to assist in providing fire extinguishment in peat soils and reinforcement of containment lines.
