Approaching 65 square Miles and Growing
Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Manager Howard Phillips (far right) looks over high-volume pumping operation while George Constantino (back to camera) discusses the Water Handling Operations with Rowan County Assistant District Forester David
Credit: USFWS
That is what the latest reports from what is currently the largest wildfire burning in the United States. The Evans Road fire continues to grow in Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge and with only 40% containment it will take some time and some help from above to put this fire out.
Earlier on I reported about Mike Noles and his family having to evacuate because of the fire. They have returned home for now and hopefully the fire danger for them has subsided. Mike was interviewed by an NBC news crew today and featured on a number of NBC stations across the state. Here is a link to the short video.
For many in other parts of the country that is use to experiencing wildfires there is one major difference, many places a wildfire rolls through and an area burns and the fire keeps moving. In the Pocosin terrain that this fire is burning that after the flames on the surface move on the thick peat continues to smolder and burn. So basically much of this 65 square miles is still hot and burning and will not be extinguished until the peat gets a good soaking and that will likely have to come from a tropical type storm.
[...] Wildfire continues to grow in the eastern part of the state with latest reports holding at 40% containment. This area is [...]
Pingback by Moose Droppings » Evans Road Wildfire and Impact On Red Wolf Recovery — June 14, 2008 @ 1:14 am
[...] Two weeks after lighting started the massive wildfire in Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge the weather has aided firefighters in getting the upper hand. The fire is now 60% contained and there is only about 5 miles of containment line to dig. Pumping operations from Lake Phelps and New Lake are allowing fire fighters to put 92,000 gallons a minute on to the still smoldering Pocosin fuel. [...]
Pingback by Moose Droppings » Progress Being Made on Evans Road Wildfire — June 17, 2008 @ 12:45 am