Morning Update on the Sunset Road Fire in Brunswick County

The primary objective for the N.C. Forest Service Incident Management Team is public and firefighter safety.  

PLEASE BE AWARE: Wildland fire engines and large equipment continue to be on roads in the fire area and traveling to and from assignments. All areas around the fire perimeter are considered active as firefighting operations continue. For firefighter and public safety, please avoid areas where firefighters are working. 

 

Acreage: 1,369 acres |  Containment: 10%

Firefighters continue to reinforce containment lines, utilizing dozer and full track equipment to break through organic soils around thick vegetation. Firefighters are utilizing Type 6 engines to spray water on smoldering areas where the fire imprint backs up to homes. Structural firefighters are also offering structure protection assistance as needed. On Saturday morning, extreme wildfire behavior was seen as a result of a passing cold front in which the fire grew due to spotting over existing containment lines. The Sunset Road Fire is burning in Boiling Spring Lakes in Brunswick County. The fire began Friday, May 2. The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation. No homes have been destroyed. The acreage change from previous reporting is due to more accurate mapping of the fire perimeter. Percent containment represents sections of fire line that pose no escape risk without further action from firefighters.

Weather and Fire Behavior: A stray storm may move over the area Monday afternoon. There is a chance of 20-25 mph southerly gusts midday Monday. A cold front moving toward the coast tonight is forecast to stall over or near the area through at least mid-week, leading to periods of unsettled weather. Yesterday’s precipitation moderated fire behavior for the time being. The fire continues to creep and smolder in areas that are still holding heat. Firefighters remain vigilant in attacking smoldering areas around the fire. These areas will increase in fire behavior intensity as the day progresses and the humidity drops. Smoke may be visible around the vicinity of the fire.  

Air Quality: A Code Orange air quality alert has been issued for Brunswick County through midnight Monday. Information on current air quality data for North Carolina is available at https://www.airnow.gov/.    

Closures: As of Sunday afternoon, the temporary evacuation shelter at South Brunswick High School has closed. Updates to closures and the shelter can be found on the Brunswick County website at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/CivicAlerts.

Temporary Flight Restriction: A “TFR” is in place at an altitude from the surface up to and including 3,000 feet, daily (24 hours) until further notice. Complete information is available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_5540. Flying drones within a TFR designated area is unlawful. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire compromises the safety of pilots and interferes with firefighting efforts. The public is reminded to keep drones away from wildfires.