| 110th Year, 37th Issue | Thursday, April 22, 1999 | Sparta, North Carolina |
Remaining N.C. Forest Service firefighters were taken off the woods fire in northwestern Wilkes County on April 15 after about a half inch of rain fell, but officials were back there on April 16 with hand-held infrared equipment in search of hot spots.
That's according to Wilkes County Forester Jody Brady, who added that a more accurate calculation put the burned area at between 800 and 850 acres. It earlier was estimated at about 600 acres.
About 45 firefighters were in the forest service crew that was demobilized on April 15, said Brady, adding that the forest service had 98 people on the fire Sunday, April 11 before some were dispatched to fires elsewhere in Western North Carolina.
"There are still hot spots and a little bit of smoke was seen on the afternoon of April 15," said Brady. If enough remaining areas of smoldering fire are found, he added, a forest service crew could be brought back in. A few snags that pose a fire risk still need to be removed also, he said.
Burning Ban Remains
A ban on outside burning imposed early last week in all of Wilkes County and elsewhere in Western North Carolina remains in effect, said Brady and Wilkes Fire Marshal Kevin Bounds.
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