Firefighters have fully contained the Paddy’s Creek wildfire burning near Linville Gorge, north of Lake James in Burke County.
Old NC 105 (Kistler Memorial Hwy / SR1238) will reopen at 4:00 pm on Friday, October 28th. Crews are working to put out remaining hot-spots, and will continue to monitor the 10-acre fire through the weekend.
The wildfire is located in an area that underwent prescribed burns 3 and 6 years ago to reduce fuels and restore wildlife habitat. This reduction in fuels helped slow the spread of the fire.
The Paddy’s Creek Fire was reported Monday afternoon in the Grandfather Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, but is suspected to be human caused. The US Forest Service is leading fire response efforts, with assistance from Burke County REACT, North Cove VFD, and NC Forest Service.
The public is encouraged to use extreme caution with outdoor fires this fall. Western North Carolina is currently in a severe drought and fire danger is extremely high. Dry and windy conditions are predicted to remain in the region through early December.