The N.C. Forest Service Incident Management Team is focusing on public and firefighter safety as they address the Sunset Road Fire in Brunswick County. The fire, which began on May 2, has grown to cover 1,369 acres with only 10% containment. Wildland fire engines and large equipment remain active in the area.
Firefighters are working to reinforce containment lines using dozers and full track equipment to navigate through organic soils around dense vegetation. Type 6 engines are being used to spray water on smoldering areas near homes, while structural firefighters provide assistance as needed. On Saturday morning, extreme wildfire behavior was observed due to a passing cold front that caused the fire to spread beyond existing containment lines.
Weather conditions may impact firefighting efforts, with a stray storm possible on Monday afternoon and southerly gusts expected at midday. A cold front is predicted to stall near the coast through mid-week, resulting in unsettled weather patterns. Recent precipitation has temporarily moderated fire behavior, but smoldering areas remain a concern as humidity levels drop.
A Code Orange air quality alert is in effect for Brunswick County until midnight Monday. For updates on air quality data in North Carolina, residents can visit https://www.airnow.gov/.
As of Sunday afternoon, the temporary evacuation shelter at South Brunswick High School has closed. Information regarding closures and shelters can be found on the Brunswick County website at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/CivicAlerts.
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is enforced from the surface up to 3,000 feet until further notice. More details are available at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_5540. The public is reminded that flying drones within TFR-designated areas or near wildfires poses safety risks and disrupts firefighting operations.
