Bryson City NC Fire: 9 homes and 200 acres destroyed

Bryson City North Carolina: Yet another Smoky Mountains fire is brining in the Grassy Ridge community claiming several mountain ridges in the Pelohi Cove. Dry weather and high winds drove a fire which stared in a valley up ridges devouring everything in its path.

The fires cause is still unknown and under investigation so far has kept more than 100 firefighters busy and prompted a small evacuation Pelohi Cove and several neighboring roads were blocked. Even the Forest Service has been helping contain the blaze by flying in water from Lake Fontana NC.

Not only has Swain County had to deal with wild fires this weekend, brush fires have been reported near the French Broad River, Fairview, and Riceville.

With increased fire danger all throughout the Smokies we ask everyone pay special care with any activity that could spark a wild fire.

Controlled burn in NC goes out of control

A controlled burn that was being conducted by a local resident trying to reduce some overgrowth on his property located at High Rock Mountain Road on Walnut Mountain in Madison County North Carolina quickly got out of control and engulfed 50 acres with flames as high as 50 feet.

The wildfire required the combined cooperation between multiple local fire departments and the forest service. Eight local fire departments sent more than 24 firefighters to fight the fire as well as protecting neighboring homes from being damaged or destroyed by the wildfire.

The North Carolina Forest Service sent ground support to help fight the blaze as well as utilizing a forest service helicopter which scooped up water from a pond close to the blaze and made repeated dumps to suppress the fire. Fortunately the helicopter was stationed close by at the Asheville NC Regional Airport.

As of last night the fire departments still have vehicles parked in local residents' driveways and have been able to contain almost half the fire. The firefighters feel as though no more structures are under serious threat but they will continue to work throughout today.

Because of continued dry conditions and relatively high winds the National Weather Service's Greer, South Carolina had to issue a fire danger statement for most of Western NC.