Pender County wildfire has potential to spread

Evacuations not issued yet, but could come later. Public advised to monitor the situation.

A wildfire burning in Pender County’s Holly Shelter Game Land has the potential to spread, according to a Facebook post from Pender County Emergency Management.

The fire is currently just under three acres in size and is 50 percent contained. But a cold front is expected to bring wind gusts of up to 30 mph to the area, and “there is potential for the fire to escape its containment lines on the eastern side (next to) Lodge Road,” the release said, causing it to spread toward inhabited areas.

“Areas of major concern,” the release continued, include several areas along the U.S. 17 corridor between Shepards Road and Pinnacle Parkway. These areas include Trader’s Neck Road, Buck Shot Road, Deer Ridge Road West, Stag Drive, Old Whitefield Road, Hilltop Farm Road and Pinnacle Parkway.

No evacuations have been issued, but officials with Pender County Emergency Management and the Pender County Health Department are monitoring the situation and will issue evacuation orders if needed.

In the meantime, residents are advised to monitor the status of the fire, and to avoid the Holly Shelter Game Land area, as dense smoke could cause hazardous conditions for motorists.

According to the release, the North Carolina Forest Service has been working this week to contain the “persistent wildfire,” known as the Tram Road/Grassy Road Fire.

Contact John Staton at 910-343-2343 or John.Staton@StarNewsOnline.com.