Haunting NC wildfire that lit night sky for days has topped 230 acres, USFS says

A North Carolina wildfire that has generated dramatic nighttime photos on social media is now 90% contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

The Winding Stairs Alpha Fire topped 230 acres as of Thursday, Feb. 12, officials said. It is located in a rugged section of Nantahala National Forest, about a 195-mile drive west from uptown Charlotte.

The fire was first reported Monday, Feb. 9, in “steep, rocky terrain” along U.S. 64 in Macon County, and images of the flames glowing in the night quickly spread on social media.

Some showed the fire resembling a giant snake as it slithered up mountainsides in the dark. In other instances, it resembled trails of volcanic lava.

The resulting smoke settled across major highways and drifted as far as 11 miles east to Franklin, officials said.

Rain has helped suppress the fire, officials say. As of Thursday, crews were searching for “hot spots” and patrolling the edges.

“The cause of the fire remains under investigation,” the U.S. Forest Service said in a news release. “Investigators asking anyone who was traveling along Highway 64 between 9:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday (Feb. 9) to submit photos of the fire’s start to 𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐤.𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞@𝐮𝐬𝐝𝐚.𝐠𝐨𝐯.”

Nantahala National Forest encompasses 531,148 acres and is the largest of the four National Forests in North Carolina. Hurricane Helene downed thousands of acres of trees in the forest in 2024, and the debris has created abundant fuel for wildfires, the U.S. Forest Service says.

This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 11:07 AM.