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Wildfire burning near Grandfather Mountain grows to 350 acres
Photos show smoke rising from Pisgah National Forest on the Linville side of Grandfather Mountain.
LINVILLE, N.C. â A brush fire that burned on the slopes of Grandfather Mountain in Avery County has expanded, the Linville Fire Department said.
According to the US Forest Service, the fire is estimated at 350 acres and 10% contained, and several trails have been closed.
A photo submitted by WCNC Charlotte viewer Kyle Kitchin to the WCNC Charlotte app showed the fire burning in the Harpers Creek Wilderness Area from his perspective atop Grandfather Mountain.
A flight-tracking website showed officials using an aircraft to obtain aerial views of the fire inside Pisgah National Forest.
US Forest Service units returned to the scene this morning, according to the Linville Fire Volunteer Department.
“We had crews in the area all night on standby to protect structures,” the department said. “The fire has continued to spread and my understanding is more aircraft will be working today to try to contain the fire.”
The size and cause of the fire were not immediately known.
Firefighters are working to control the fire ahead of forecast high winds Saturday.
Both North Carolina and South Carolina remain in drought because of a rainfall deficit.
While a statewide burn ban has since been lifted since a large fire burned earlier this month on Pilot Mountain, brush conditions remain dry across the region.
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Smoke from the fire burning near Grandfather Mountain could impact air quality in the area.