The Evans Road Fire was reported on June 1 approximately 15 miles NW of Fairfield in the New Lake vicinity in eastern North Carolina, several miles south of Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge on private land. The fire resulted from a lightning strike. On the afternoon of June 3, the fire broke from containment, running 3,000 acres onto Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. By late evening, the blaze had grown to approximately 8,000 acres. Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is approximately 110,000-acres and is home to the endangered red wolf, black bear, hundreds of species of migratory birds, and a variety of other native wildlife. The refuge is a popular attraction for birders, wildlife photographers, as well as being a good hunting and fishing hot spot. Windy weather and a limited water supply have complicated suppression efforts for firefighters. The fire is primarily burning in shrubby swamp lands which are very difficult to suppress in dry conditions due to the explosive fire movement through the shrubs and the large amounts of organic vegetation in the soil available to burn. The fire will likely linger for weeks in the soil until significant rainfall floods the swamp. Follow the day-to-day progress on this fire, suppression efforts, and smoke issues by scolling down and following links. Most recent items are listed at the top. You may also visit http://inciweb.org/state/34 for fire information. |