Sweetgum – The Graham County 911 Center received a report of a brush fire on Berts Creek Circle around 2:20 p.m., Feb. 8.
The caller stated that the fire had spread into the woods and was growing larger. Firefighters with the Graham and Santeetlah Fire departments, N.C. Forest Service, and U.S. Forest Service responded.
Fire department personnel were the first to arrive on the scene and were able to keep the fire from spreading as fast until forestry personnel arrived.
Due to the location of the fire on a hillside, it had the potential to have been a much larger fire.
A minor playing with fire was listed as the cause.
The fire was contained at less than an acre, but did come within 100 feet of a home.
Neighboring Cherokee County has had several brush fires lately, with one Feb. 6 burning around 200 acres.