Local, statewide burn bans lifted
Snowbird – A house fire in the Little Snowbird section of Graham County appears to have been started by an arsonist.
The fire was reported to Graham County 911 around 7:30 p.m., Monday. Graham County Fire and Rescue – including units from Meadow Branch, Santeetlah and Snowbird – responded to the call.
Upon arriving at the residence – listed as 8123 Little Snowbird Road – firefighters found that the home had been forcefully entered. The fire had every appearance of having been started intentionally.
The blaze was quickly extinguished, with damage limited to the living room. Graham County Sheriff Russell Moody was informed of the possible arson and – in turn – he requested assistance from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation on the case.
Graham County has had a lengthy fire season this spring, but thanks to quick action from Graham County Fire and Rescue, Stecoah Fire and Rescue, including the Snowbird, Santeetlah, and Meadow Branch units, N.C. Forest Service and U.S. Forest Service, the fires have been kept small with no injuries.
A continuing drought coupled with extreme fire weather led the North Carolina Forest Service to issue a burn ban on March 28, which was lifted Sunday. This was followed by Graham County also issuing a local burn ban, which was lifted April 29.
Downed line arcs fire
Lake Santeetlah – Even though the burn bans have been lifted – and the danger has eased some – spring fire season is still fully underway.
Graham County Fire and Rescue – including Meadow Branch, Santeetlah and Snowbird – responded to a brush fire around 2:30 p.m., Sunday.
Started by a downed powerline, the fire was located on a hillside across from the Santeetlah Marina. The blaze burned less than an acre of U.S. Forest Service land, but took a considerable amount of time to control due to the large amount of dead brush and trees on the ground from powerline trimming.
The fire was contained around 7 p.m., but U.S. Forest Service firefighters and Tory Lynnes worked until 9 p.m., mopping up powerline debris that was still smoldering. The fire was burning beneath the Thunderbird Overlook.
Had the fire jumped across U.S. 129, it would have started burning Old Roughy – which would have resulted in a larger fire.