Much needed rain was received on the Lost Cove Fire overnight, which remains at an estimated 1,000 acres and 60% contained. The fire, which started on Christmas Eve, is burning in the Wilson Creek watershed on the US Forest Service Grandfather Ranger District in Avery County, NC.
Approximately 0.2 inches of rain was received over the fire area in the last 24 hours. While not enough to fully extinguish the flames, this significant rainfall allowed the firefighters to shift focus to monitoring and “mopping up” hot spots along the firelines. The Lost Cove Fire has burned much of the area between Lost Cove Creek and Gragg Prong to the south and east and the fireline protecting the Roseboro community to the north and west. Some pockets of fuels remain in the fires interior, where the low intensity fire left a mosaic of burned and unburned areas in the most remote parts of the Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area.
In addition to on-the-ground firefighters, fire managers are using an unmanned aircraft system (UAS, or drone) to assist with reconnaissance and monitoring of the fire area. This firefighting tool has been particularly helpful in the remote terrain and can fly even in rainy conditions where manned air operations are not feasible. Today, the UAS will provide infrared video to allow fire managers to map hot spots within the fire area. This information will help focus operations going into the drier weather predicted over the next two days.
Emergency closures remain in place for the Huntfish Falls Trail (TR #263), Darkside Cliffs Trail (TR #272), Lost Cove Loop Trail (TR #262) and the Timber Ridge Trail (TR #261), including the sections of the Mountains to Sea Trail that follow Gragg Prong between Roseboro and Pineola Roads. The public is asked to avoid recreating in the Lost Cove Wilderness Study Area until the fire is fully contained.
13 firefighters from the US Forest Service are responding. The response effort is supported by local fire departments from Collettsville and Linville, as well as the North Carolina Forest Service. The cause of the Lost Cove Fire remains under investigation.
Photo courtesy of Brandon Phillips, USFS
