Woman set off growing mountain wildfire with cigar ashes, NC Forest Service says

A wildfire that has burned for days in “steep rugged terrain” was ignited when a woman tossed out remnants of a burning cigar, according to North Carolina investigators.

“The cause of the Jumping Branch fire currently burning in McDowell County was determined to be the result of improperly discarded smoking material,” the N.C. Forest Service reported in a March 31.

“Ashes from a cigar were discarded near a wooded bank behind the residence that ignited the bank and spread into nearby woods.”

The cigar ashes were traced to Hilary Brooke Inman, 38, of Marion, who faces a misdemeanor charge of starting a woodland fire and not extinguishing it, state officials said.

The Jumping Branch fire has spread to 420 acres and is only 50% contained, state officials said Wednesday. It was first reported at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, about 8 miles northwest of Marion, the U.S. Forest Service says.

“The Jumping Branch fire is burning in an area heavily affected by Hurricane Helene, where an extensive number of downed trees are contributing to increased wildfire intensity and risk,” the USFS reported in a social media post.

Those fallen trees have been stacked on top of each other since the storm hit the state in September 2024, and they are now crisp and highly flammable, experts say.

North Carolina currently has a statewide burn ban in place due to an ongoing drought. More than 600 wildfires have been reported in the past 10 days, the state reported Tuesday, March 31. They include a 600-acre fire in Wilkes County and the 350-acre Poplar Fire in Mitchell County.

Smoke from the Jumping Branch fire has spread for miles, prompting warnings for drivers to avoid parts of NC 80, as well as a Temporary Flight Restriction in the immediate area, McDowell County 911 reports.

“This is one of many examples that demonstrates how severely dry conditions are across the state and how quickly a wildfire can ignite from the smallest ignition source,” N.C. Forest Service Public Information Officer Philip Jackson told The Charlotte Observer.

“Any new ignition source at this point has the potential to cause a rapidly spreading wildfire that is difficult to contain. It’s imperative that folks adhere to the statewide burn ban that is currently in effect until further notice. Situational awareness and common sense are the means to prevail this spring wildfire season.”

The law that Hilary Brooke Inman is accused of violating is a Class 3 misdemeanor with fines ranging from $10 to $50, the state reports.

Marion is about a 95-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published March 31, 2026 at 12:59 PM.