BLACK COVE FIRES AT A GLANCE
Black Cove Complex Total Size: 7,670 acres
Black Cove – 3,502 acres | Deep Woods – 3,969 acres | Fish Hook – 199 acres
Containment:
Black Cove – 97% | Deep Woods – 79% | Fish Hook – 100%
Cause:
Black Cove – Powerline | Deep Woods – Under investigation | Fish Hook – Powerline
All Resources:
Engines – 23 | Total Personnel – 365
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Firefighters continue to make steady progress on the Black Cove Complex fires as cold and wet conditions moved back into the area Wednesday. Precipitation has played a key role in helping firefighters get ahead this week, allowing resources to complete work faster in damp conditions.
Due to the rate of progress on the incident, the N.C. Forest Service Red Incident Management Team (IMT) will transition command of the fires back to a Type 4 IMT on the local district. Incoming resources will spend Thursday shadowing the current team to ensure a seamless transition and continued progress.
Repair work and mop-up will continue across the complex. Firefighters will work to extinguish remaining hotspots, which will contribute to overall increases in containment. Temperatures are expected to heat up into the weekend, which may expose areas that are still smoldering. Light smoke may be seen in the area as firefighters locate and extinguish these hot spots.
The N.C. Forest Service Red IMT appreciates the help and support received from the surrounding communities throughout the duration of the incident. The team is also appreciative of the work of our partner agencies, including emergency management teams from Polk and Henderson counties, local and state law enforcement, the Office of State Fire Marshal, N.C. Emergency Management and multiple other county and state agencies that contributed to successful outcomes on this incident.
This will be the final update on the Black Cove Complex unless conditions significantly change.
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Evacuations: Evacuation levels are constantly being assessed based on fire activity. For updated or current evacuation notices for Polk County, please refer to Polk County’s website. For updated or current evacuation notices for Henderson County, please refer to Henderson County’s website.
Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR): A TFR is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 5,500 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Firefighting aircraft that respond to wildfires fly low in support of ground personnel. Drones can pose a serious threat to pilot and public safety. A drone that disrupts air operations also puts firefighters, residents and property at risk of loss to wildfire.
State of Emergency: On Tuesday, March 26, Governor Josh Stein declared a State of Emergency to expand the state’s capacity to respond to the wildfires burning in Western North Carolina.
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To check wildfire activity across the state, use the North Carolina Wildfire Public Viewer at https://ncfspublic.firesponse.com/.
Subscribe to receive updates from the N.C. Forest Service about wildfires, burn bans and other topics at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/NCFS/subscriber/new.
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