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Dry conditions contribute to last week's cluster of woodland fires
By Lynn Hotaling
Recent dry conditions spawned at least five woodland fires last week, including a Friday (April 9) blaze off Johns Creek that scorched about 50 acres.
Both Cullowhee Fire Department and N.C. Forest Service firefighters responded to the Johns Creek blaze, which started about 4:30 p.m. and was the result of debris burning, said Cullowhee Chief Richard Frady.
The fire was located about 1.7 miles up Johns Creek Road off of Log Cabin Road. No structures were involved, but several were threatened, Frady said.
Five homes were threatened by the blaze, according to James Turpin, the N.C. Forest Service's Jackson County ranger.
"Endangered were five homes at the lower edge of a steep fire," Turpin said. "The Cullowhee Fire Department did a very good job watering the houses down and giving us time to work."
Cullowhee firefighters were on the scene until midnight, but Forest Service personnel stayed through the night to minimize the risk to the homes, Turpin said.
Because the fire was in an area damaged by Southern pine beetles, many of the trees were dead and posed a falling hazard, Turpin said.
Forest Service crews cut snags and extinguished the last spots on Saturday, he said.
Jim Glover, one of those whose home was threatened, gave both sets of firefighters high marks for their skill and dedication.
"There is no doubt we would have been burned out had the Cullowhee Fire Department and N.C. Forest Service not been on the scene," Glover said. "Make no mistake. These guys are pros and tough as nails. They dug in and cut fire lines and lit backfires three times before they finally got the fire to turn away from my home.
"We rested much easier that night knowing that several crews were still on the scene to monitor the fire and put out hot spots. The professionalism of everyone involved was impressive," Glover said.
The two sets of firefighters joined forces again Saturday to control a half-acre fire on East Rogers Road in Cullowhee, Frady said.
Forest Service crews last week also responded to fires on Caney Fork's Hooper Cemetery Road, Pine Creek and Norton Road, Turpin said, and fought a 30-acre fire April 4 at Owens Gap on N.C. 281 at the Jackson/Transylvania county line.
The recent spate of fires made Turpin glad to see the rainy weather that moved in Sunday and Monday, he said.
"The cloudy skies were definitely a welcome sight," he said.
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