News

Rain aids containment of Poplar Drive fire

By Lightning reports, Published: November 11, 2023

The Poplar Drive Fire is 434 acres and was 50 percent contained on Friday, according to a press release from the N.C. Forest Service.

Firefighters utilized Friday’s rain to work aggressively on mop-up operations, tackling the smoldering areas of the fire and strengthening containment lines with dozer equipment and hand digging.
Due to the rain, drones were not able to assess heat signatures within the fire footprint, but flights should resume once the rain dissipates, according to the press release.
One home, two cabins and two outbuildings have been lost in the wildfire which began on Nov 3, while another home sustained damage. Area homes remain threatened, and forest service personnel, county fire department and sheriff’s office staff are continually assessing the needs of those structures.
Two firefighters sustained minor injuries on duty and both were treated and released. Four minor motor vehicle accidents have been reported with no injuries, according to the press release.
Personnel with the N.C. Forest Service, N.C. Emergency Management, Office of State Fire Marshal, Henderson County Emergency Management, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and Edneyville Fire Department along with numerous other fire departments from across the state are responding to the incident.
A burning ban issued by the forest service for Henderson County and all other counties in Western North Carolina remains in place.