If we have any fine North Carolina members near pilot mountain I hope you are ok. The pics I am seeing of Pilot Mountain are not looking good.

I cannot remember what I was watching but the news broke in with an update...

It was very disturbing to see.

A few minutes ago I mentioned this to the other half.

We have only been one time but I love the place...

For my 40th bday, I ran the inaugural Pilot Mtn 5k. (They had a 5k and a 10K). What a freaking miserable and cold Dec 17 that was...

I was still not back to 100% from the botched hernia job but i was in decent shape and that course still slaughtered me....

I hope everyone is safe

Is that fire under control now?

I notice the article is dated November 9 and updated on November 14, and I didn't see any smoke when I rolled through that area last week.

It is not contained yet.

Article from a few hours ago

How common are fires in the NC mountains?

Hey Jeff Yarchin, all good in your A.O?

Kind of an odd time of year for a wildfire in the higher elevations of NC?

quote:

Originally posted by Graniteguy:
Kind of an odd time of year for a wildfire in the higher elevations of NC?

It was a “controlled” burn that got out of hand.

I drive past pilot mountain every year going on vacation

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
It was a “controlled” burn that got out of hand.

I drive past pilot mountain every year going on vacation

Yeah, they don’t use the term “controlled burn” here anymore. Now they call it a “prescribed burn”. I’ve worked with CalFire burning some stuff on the ranch. They are good guys and gals and know what they are about. Sometimes stuff just doesn’t go your way though…

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Hey Jeff Yarchin, all good in your A.O?

He's about 90 miles west in Boone NC so should be fine.

It sucks. My uncle lives on a neighboring mountain. Its a lot of fun to go hiking there.

quote:

Originally posted by Ronin1069:
Hey Jeff Yarchin, all good in your A.O?

All is well, we are 90 miles away.

quote:

Originally posted by thumperfbc:
How common are fires in the NC mountains?

Pretty common. We had a 50 acre fire 8 miles away that they just got under control today. It has been unusually dry and windy.

We are within eye sight

I have visited Pilot Mountain twice. As with most mountain peaks, there is always lots of undergrowth, fallen trees.

But I noticed what I thought was lots of diseased trees and debris when I was there last year.

quote:

Originally posted by thumperfbc:
How common are fires in the NC mountains?

Most are manmade unfortunately….I’ve seen one start due to lightning (in the Nantahala)

The one a few years ago on Wayah Bald in Macon County was arson…same guy set several all over western NC. After (five?) several years now the undergrowth is coming back but the side of the mountain is still blackened and dead laurels from the peak to the bottom of the mountainside. The fire burned the lookout tower roof and supports but the structure was made of stone and it was re-roofed and is being used now.

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Yarchin:

quote:

Originally posted by thumperfbc:
How common are fires in the NC mountains?

Pretty common. We had a 50 acre fire 8 miles away that they just got under control today. It has been unusually dry and windy.

Good to know. The fires here jump from ignition to hundreds of acres with reckless abandon in hours. Too dry out here. Too much fuel on the ground.

All Southern forests burn. Its just a matter of when, and how hotly. (I have family w. a place there.)

As the South has gotten more populated, it has been more and more difficult for landowners to get permission to do the prescribed burns.

The story is in my local TV news this morning.

It's interesting to me that I heard about the fire here at SF before hearing it from the news.