Last Updated on April 20, 2016 4:14 pm
As fires continue to burn in Tennessee some High Country residents may continue to smell smoke in the air.
The Cherokee National Forest and Tennessee Division of Forestry are working to control the Railroad Grade Fire in the Roan Mountain, TN area. The fire is located in Carter County, TN at White Rocks Mountain approximately 6 miles southeast of Hampton, TN. To protect public safety, a 7.2 mile portion of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail (AT) has been temporarily detoured to Forest Road 293 at Bitter End off Buck Mountain Road, according to the US Forest Service.
WCYB-TV reports the fire is now estimated to be 1,400 acres. High Country residents reported smelling smoke on Tuesday.
Roan Mountain and Watauga Lake fires showing up again on MODIS imagery. pic.twitter.com/oRjPJIyKd3
— Ricky Matthews (@WCYB_Ricky) April 20, 2016
The Cherokee National Forest, North Carolina Forest Service, and Tennessee Division of Forestry, along with multiple cooperating agencies, are also working to control the State Line Fire burning near Hot Springs, NC. The fire is located in Cocke County, TN and Madison County, NC, approximately 5 miles west of Hot Springs and 15 miles east of Newport, TN. Highway 25/70 was closed temporarily but has now reopened.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs – Eastern Cherokee Agency is also responding to multiple fires near Cherokee, NC.
Smoke impacts from wildfires have been reported in cities across Western North Carolina. The public can expect to continue to see smoke in the region through the weekend.
