With an average of an inch of rain falling every day this week, resources are backing of the Pulp Road Fire in the Green Swamp Preserve.
The almost 16,000 acre fire began as a controlled burn by the Wildlife Resources Commission (WRC) and Nature Conservancy on June 13, the Forest Service reported. The WRC noted a smoke column on June 14, near the perimeter of the original burn site on the northwest side, indicating that the fire had escaped the containment area.
Personnel immediately began burning areas around the new fire to prevent it from reaching private property, but by June 15, the fire had continued to spread. The WRC then called the Forest Service.
The fire was just across the county line in Brunswick.
At its peak, more than 100 personnel and units were involved in fighting the fire. N.C. 211 was closed for several days due to smoke and heavy firefighting equipment on the roadway. The highway reopened June 20 (Tuesday). NCFS Officials said the fire has been completely contained within the burn zone, and there is no longer any danger of it escaping and spreading. The N.C. Forest Service Red Incident Management Team turned over command of the fire response to the local N.C. Forest Service unit today at noon. No structures were threatened by the wildfire, the NCFS said.
Firefighters used the system of logging roads through the Green Swamp Preserve to fight the fire, and opted to surround the fire with burns rather than operate heavy equipment on the sensitive areas. The preserve is home to multiple endangered species of plants, including Venus fly traps and others.
Firefighters strategically lit defensive fires to allow corridors for wildlife to escape the flames, Mike Malcolm of the forest Service said in a video briefing.
As early as June 21 (Wednesday) beneficial plants were recovering in the burned areas.
“Firefighter equipment has been kept out of the interior of the Green Swamp to avoid negative impacts on the rare ecosystem and sensitive plants. We fully expect to see beneficial effects to this fire adapted environment in the future,” said Carmella Stirrat, N.C. Fire Manager with The Nature Conservancy.
The ground fire is expected to smolder for weeks, despite the drenching rains of recent days. The organic soil is comprised of pine straw, leaves and other vegetative matter that has been allowed to naturally decay for centuries. The area of the Pulp Road Fire has not seen a significant wildfire or controlled burn for more than 70 years, officials said. It is one of the most remote and undeveloped areas in the Preserve.
The Preserve remains closed due to firefighting operations. Motorists are asked to use caution on N.C. 211 since firefighting equipment is still in the area, and smoky conditions will likely persist for weeks.
