County commissioner charged in Carteret County wildfire, 90% contained

WITN reports a county commissioner has been charged with causing a fire that threatened homes and charred more than 500 acres in Carteret County.

The North Carolina Forest Service says Chris Chadwick, of Stacy, was charged with setting Sunday afternoon’s fire. They say the cause of the fire was a debris burn.

Chadwick, 53, represents District 6 on the county commission.

The Forest Service said the Morris Marina Road Fire is 90% contained and is still holding at 550 acres.

According to the North Carolina General Assembly, Statute 14-140.1 reads:

Any person, firm, corporation, or other legal entity who shall burn any brush, grass, or other material whereby any property may be endangered or destroyed, without keeping and maintaining a careful watchman in charge of the burning, shall be guilty of an infraction which may include a fine of not more than fifty dollars ($50.00). Fire escaping from the brush, grass, or other material while burning shall be prima facie evidence of violation of this provision.

The Forest Service will continue to put out hot spots, improve containment lines and mop-up operations along the fire’s edge, homes nearby and Radar Road.

Over the last three days, the Forest Service says emergency personnel have used a drone to fly above the burn area to help find smoldering hotspots firefighters will continue mop-up operations, while firefighters reinforced containment lines along Radar Road.

Officials say voluntary evacuations started Sunday afternoon for the 20 homes threatened in the Atlantic area of Down East Carteret County.

Rain chances will be scarce until the weekend and into next week. An area of high pressure will suppress cloud cover and afternoon rain chances, which could push the region closer to drought.

The Forest Service says the winds will continue to push inland, however, improvements in visibility and air quality are expected soon.