Wildfire engulfs 36,000 acres as eerie orange haze creeps over coastal NC neighborhoods

NEW BERN, N.C. — Crews in New Bern have been battling a wildfire estimated at 36,000 acres in the Croatan National Forest since Friday, according to a social media post from the U.S. Forest Service.

Air quality across much of eastern North Carolina is under Code Orange, Code Red or Code Purple alerts due to smoke and ash from the active wildfire in the Croatan National Forest. Anyone who can see or smell smoke is encouraged to limit time outdoors.

The commander warned residents and visitors that smoke from the Great Lake wildfire would be visible and impact areas near Catfish Lake and the Great Lake Road areas.

Additionally, the Black Lake OHV area is closed until further notice.

Residents shared photos depicting eerie orange skies and thick smoke billowing over suburban neighborhoods.

Another photo shared on the Facebook post showed thick smoke passing overhead in otherwise blue skies, with family homes underneath.

Another photo showed massive clouds of smoke blowing over the treeline from the dashboard of a car driving through.

Visitors are reminded that it is prohibited to fly a drone in or near an active wildfire area.

The public should be aware of the potential for smoke in the area and drive with caution around working fire personnel on Great Lake Road and surrounding areas. Travelers on highways adjacent to the fire area should proceed with caution, especially on highways 17 and 70 where firefighters are operating.

Containment updates

The N.C. Forest Service said that as of 9 a.m. Sunday, the fire’s footprint remains the same, showing no growth overnight. As a result, firefighting crews have increased containment to 30%.

Fire crews are setting up firebreaks to prevent the fire from spreading to private land.

The N.C. Forest Service said the Southern Area Red Team, a Type 1 Incident Management Team, is due to arrive Sunday. The fire will enter unified command between the U.S. Forest Service and N.C. Forest Service.

There are no injuries and no structures threatened at this time.

The cause of the Great Lakes Fire remains under investigation.

Which counties are under air quality alerts?

A map shows the areas most impacted by smoke across the state.

Both Craven and Jones counties are under a Code Purple Air Quality alert. All residents should avoid outdoor exercise and limit their time outside until conditions improve.

Code Red conditions are possible further north over Pitt, Beaufort and Pamlico counties. In Code Red, some people may experience health effects from prolonged exposure to polluted air. Sensitive populations, including older adults, younger children and those with respiratory conditions such as asthma, are more likely to be impacted and should avoid outdoor exercise.

Code Orange conditions will be possible over a broad swath of eastern North Carolina, including Carteret and Onslow counties. Sensitive populations may still experience health impacts when outdoors for prolonged times in these conditions.