Cold Mountain Fire Update 11/22/2019

PISGAH FOREST, NC (November 22, 2019) — Firefighters made good progress Friday to enhance structure protection in connection with the Cold Mountain Fire. A helicopter flight measured the fire at approximately 126 acres as of midday Friday.

The fire was first reported at approximately 3:00 am Thursday morning. Since then a crew of approximately 30 firefighters have worked to keep the fire from moving in the direction of nearby structures and private land.

The wildfire is burning within the Shining Rock Wilderness which remains closed to all recreational uses including use of all 53 miles of trails in the area.

Residents of the nearby area can expect heavy smoke throughout Friday night. The fire will continue to be monitored and appropriate action taken as needed, as rain moves into the area on Friday evening into Saturday.

This incident has been fairly complex for a small fire because it involves Designated Wilderness Area in close proximity to private residences. Fortunate topography and fire behavior allowed managers to make decisions that provided good structure protection while still employing minimum impact suppression tactics appropriate for the designated Wilderness Area.

Agencies involved in the response include USDA Forest Service, NC Forest Service Haywood County Emergency Management, Cruso Fire Department, and National Park Service.