Old N.C. 105 USFS - Effort to control fire starts new one

Charlotte Observer | 05/03/2007 | Effort to control fire starts new one:

OUTSIDE LINVILLE GORGE WILDERNESS

Effort to control fire starts new one

Blaze spreads across Old N.C. 105 closing roads and hiking trails

HANNAH MITCHELL

hmitchell@charlotteobserver.com

Firefighters battling a week-old forest fire in Burke County had to fight a new fire Wednesday that was part of a backburn they set to keep the larger forest fire from spreading.

The new fire spread across Old N.C. 105 after winds caused it to jump the road Tuesday night, a National Forest Service spokesperson said.

Officials said they couldn't estimate how large of an area was affected by the new fire.

Old N.C. 105 along the western edge of the Linville Gorge, the Spence Ridge Bridge and all hiking trails in the gorge are closed, said Maj. Ken Anthony of Burke County Emergency Services.

Wind overnight pushed the fire north of the Pinch In trail, said U.S. Forest Service spokesman Dyan Bone.

Flames are confined to the federal wilderness area and still more than a mile away from private homes in the North Cove community, but Forest Service officials met with homeowners Wednesday morning to inform them of firefighting efforts, officials said.

The fire, which started April 25 just outside the Linville Gorge Wilderness, was about 30 percent contained Wednesday. About 220 firefighters are battling the blaze.

It has burned an estimated 700 acres.

Daily information about the fire is being posted at www.burkealert.org