Firefighters close to fully controlling Linville Gorge wildfire

The Linville Gorge fire in North Carolina’s mountains is 80 percent controlled but, after an intentional burn-off of vegetation that would fuel the blaze, covers 4,355 acres.

The fire is burning near Shortoff Mountain at the south end of Linville Gorge in Pisgah National Forest.

Firefighters’ biggest challenge on the White Creek fire, as it is known, is working in the area’s rugged terrain. The growing burned area results in part from use of techniques that are meant to keep firefighters safe while minimizing impacts to the landscape.

More than 150 firefighters from federal and state agencies and local emergency management and volunteer fire departments were on the scene late Thursday.

Closed to the public are U.S. Forest Service lands east of SR 1238 (Old NC 105 / Kistler Memorial Highway), south of Conley Cove Trail, south of Table Rock Picnic Area, west of Back Irish Creek Forest Service Road #118 (Blue Gravel Road) and Roses Creek Forest Service Road #99, north of N.C. 126.

Closed trails include Shortoff, Rock Jock, Pinch-In, Linville Gorge Trail south of Conley Cove Trail, and Mountains to Sea Trail from SR Road 1238 at Pinnacles to the Table Rock Picnic Area.

This story was originally published March 24, 2017 at 8:32 AM with the headline "Firefighters close to fully controlling Linville Gorge wildfire."