The largest working wildfire in North Carolina has burned 762 acres and is 50 percent contained.
Phillip Jackson of the N.C. Forest Service said crews have been on the Rosindale fire since Wednesday around 11 a.m. No structures have been burned and no injuries reported, he said.
In addition to ground personnel and volunteer firefighters, the NCFS has a single engine air tanker (SEAT) plane, a helicopter, and five bulldozers on the fire. Aircraft were grounded for a period on Wednesday due to high winds and heavy smoke.
Crews worked the perimeter of the fire through the overnight hours to prevent forward progression. The fire was threatening to enter the Welches Creek Gamelands, a remote area on the Bladen/Columbus county line that features heavy Carolina bays and difficult terrain.
The fire is southwest of the intersection of Rosindale Road and N.C. 211. Motorists are asked to be aware of heavy equipment and fire crews in the area.
Jackson said teams hope to send infrared drones into the fire zone today to search for hotspots. Teams are also at work strengthening fire lines.
The Rosindale fire is currently the largest in the state, Jackson said.
As of this morning (Thursday) 42 wildfires have been reported in North Carolina, including four in Columbus. Two of those have been contained, and the other two are being monitored. A total of 1,342 acres were on fire or had been burned as of 11 a.m.
A burn ban remains in place statewide. All outdoor burning is prohibited until the area gets some significant rainfall. The National Weather Service said this morning that rainfall is expected to remain below normal for the next two weeks.
