November 17, 1999
For information contact:
Bob McKinney or Pat Momich
Cheoah Ranger District, Nantahala National Forest
828-479-6431
Avey Complex Fire, 4 p.m.
Over 284 firefighters from four states continue to battle over 1800 acres of wildfire in five separate blazes in Nantahala National Forest around Robbinsville, NC. Fires were reported Monday night about 10:30 p.m. and Cheoah Ranger District personnel began initial attack. By Tuesday, Native American crews from Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma and two crews from Schenck Jobs Corps in Pisgah Forest, NC raised the number of firefighters to 110. Today additional reinforcements were called in from Arizona, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas and the LBJ Jobs Corps Center in Franklin, NC.
Due to the steepness of the terrain, all the fire line has been built by human muscle and sweat using hand tools. Two helicopters assisted the effort by dropping water on the fire. The fires are human-caused. Arson is a possibility. No structures or private property are threatened.
The fires are aggravated by extreme dryness and the accumulated dead leaves on the forest floor. A stiff breeze that didn’t let up at night fanned the flames. The fires are 30 percent contained.
“District personnel did an excellent job on their initial attack,” said Lewis Kearney, the Incident Commander for the Avey Complex Fires who hails from Tennessee. “We’re making good headway with firefighters from across the country, despite dry weather and rough terrain. We hope to complete the lines around all the fires by Friday,” said Kearney.
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