Last Updated on April 19, 2016 12:55 pm
ASHEVILLE – A section of U.S. 25-70 just west of Hot Springs has been closed due to a wildfire near the Tennessee-North Carolina state border.
Closing the highway allows firefighters from different agencies including the U.S. Forest Service, the North Carolina Forest Service and Tennessee Department of Forestry to battle and manage the blaze which burned near the road in several locations. The fire began over the weekend in Tennessee and has burned more than 850 acres of forest.
The N.C. Department of Transportation set out changeable message signs at several locations to warn drivers of dangerous driving conditions due to heavy smoke, as well as informing motorists of the closure. In addition, message signs on I-26 — eastbound at Exit 11 and westbound at Exit 21 — note that U.S. 25-70 is closed.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation is detouring drivers along Tennessee 107 to Tennessee 70 which becomes N.C. 208 at the state line.