Evening Update on the Black Cove Complex fires in Polk County

Firefighters continue efforts to contain three wildfires in Polk County. The fires are being managed as a complex by the N.C. Forest Service Red Team, which assumed command of the incident Saturday, March 22.

This group of fires consists of the Black Cove, Deep Woods and Fish Hook fires. Currently, there are 249 personnel from across North Carolina and other states assigned to and supporting this incident.

• Black Cove Fire (35° 17′ 7.53″ N , 82° 17′ 49.96″ W)
  The Black Cove Fire was first reported Wednesday, March 19 and was last mapped at 2,076 acres in size. The fire is burning on state-owned and private land in the Green River Gorge, approximately 2 miles northeast of Saluda. The fire is burning in timber on steep terrain and is currently 0% contained. To prevent the fire from spreading into neighborhoods and inhabited areas to the west of the fire, firefighting personnel are constructing control lines on both sides of the river. Current evacuation orders issued for residents include:
  • Green River Cove Road addresses from 1091 to 1528
  • Lady Slipper Trail
  • Big Hungry Road
  • Spurgeon Cove Lane
  • English Heifer Cove Road
  • Deer Trail
  • Scarlets Mountain Road
     
• Deep Woods Fire (35° 17′ 34.77″ N , 82° 15′ 34.00″ W)
  The Deep Woods Fire was first reported Wednesday, March 19 and was last mapped at 2,545 acres in size. This fire is burning on state-owned and private land in the Green River Gorge and in the neighboring Holbert Cove community, approximately 5 miles northwest of Columbus. The fire is burning in timber on steep terrain and is currently 0% contained. Firefighters are providing structure protection on the southern end of the fire and are preventing its spread to the south of Holbert Cove Road. Current evacuation orders for residents include:
  • 5079-7265 Holbert Cove Road
  • Fox Paw Lane
     
• Fish Hook Fire (35° 20′ 52.42″ N , 82° 14′ 5.01″ W)
  The Fish Hook Fire was first reported on Thursday, March 20 and is currently mapped at 199 acres in size. The fire has not grown or spread in the last 24 hours, but acreage estimates have changed due to more accurate mapping. The fire is burning on private land near Lake Adger, approximately 5 miles northwest of Mill Spring. The Fish Hook Fire is currently 50% contained and forward progress of the fire has been stopped. 

Firefighting personnel continue to secure firebreaks along the edges of the fire and extinguish smoldering fuels. Containment is expected to increase in the coming days, and firefighters will remain on scene until the fire no longer poses a threat. All evacuations related to the Fish Hook Fire have been lifted.

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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