GSMNP: Wildfire on North Carolina side of Smoky Mountains 40% contained

Great Smoky Mountains Natl. Park — Many trails and backcountry campsites remain closed due to fires on the North Carolina side of the Great Smoky Mountains. 

The Thomas Divide Complex Fire is comprised of two wildfires. Officials confirm both fires were caused by down power lines due to high winds and fallen trees.

They said most of the fire activity was between Deep Creek and Newfound Gap Road. The Complex Fire is 40% contained with approximately 39% of the affected 950 acres being inside park boundaries and 61% being on private property in Swain County.

No permanent structures have been lost yet, the park said.

On Monday, crews continued fighting the fire on the ground and in the air, saying wind speeds had decreased enough to allow air support efforts to resume.

“On the other side of the tree line, they will the helicopter will be flying in. They dip the bucket and then they’ll fly out,” said Rhonda Wise, acting public information officer for the Great Smoky Mountains National park.

According to a release from officials, the two fires were active inside of the park on Saturday. A list of trails and campsites that were closed because of the fires is below.

• Backcountry campsites 46, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, and 60
• Deep Creek and Thomas Divide trails, from Deep Creek to Newfound Gap Road
• Pole Road Creek trail
• Indian Creek trail 
• Stone Pile Gap trail 
• Deep Creek Horse Bypass trail
• Juney Whank Falls trail 
• Deeplow trail
• Fork Ridge trail
• Sunkota Ridge trail
• Martins Gap trail
• Indian Creek Motor Nature trail
• Mingus Creek trail
• Newton Bald trail
• Kanati Fork trail
• Loop trails

Officials said Toms Branch Road near Deep Creek was also closed.

The Deep Creek Campground and Picnic Area were not scheduled to open for the season until April 15.

Officials said they were notified about a fire south of the park near Cooper Creek at around 1 p.m. While responding to that fire, they also learned about another near Stone Pile Gap, near the Thomas Divide area.

The Bureau of Indian Affairs is leading efforts to contain and extinguish the Cooper Creek fire. The Bryson City Fire Department is leading efforts for the Thomas Divide fire.

National Park Service as well as crews from Tennessee and nearby counties are also responding to the fires. A command post has been established at the Swain County East Elementary School.

The National Park Service continues to coordinate suppression efforts with 70 personnel from different agencies. Plans are underway to transfer oversight to the Southern Area Type II Incident Management Team in the upcoming days.

GSMNP said crews will remain in place overnight to provide structure protection. 

It’s not the only wildfire park rangers have seen this year.

“We’ve had several small fires this year, including one near park headquarters last Thursday and this is much larger than that,” Wise said.

Many counties in East Tennessee have issued burn bans or stopped giving burn permits.

“We do still have very low humidity and higher winds than normal so just use common sense if you’re going to be burning on your property,” Wise said