Sunday was anything but a day of rest for local firefighters, as they were busy with two brush fires.
The largest fire began shortly after 4 p.m., near Maggie Wachacha Road, in the Santeetlah area. It was started from a debris burn on tribal land.
The blaze quickly, and threatened both Snowbird Mountain Lodge and a residence on the mountaintop above the fire.
Snowbird and Graham County Fire Departments, U.S. Forest Service, N.C. Forest Service initially responded to the fire, with additional resources – including the Bureau of Indian Affairs and two helicopters – dipping water from Santeetlah Lake to drop on the fire.
The fire was estimated to have consumed more than 10 acres and was brought under control around 8 p.m.
Just 2 ½ hours earlier, the first fire of the day began in the Tobacco Branch area. Stecoah and Graham County Fire Departments, N.C. Forest Service and U.S. Forest Service responded to the fire, which had also escaped from debris burning.
The fire – which was on private land – threatened two homes and burned less than an acre, before being controlled around 3:20 p.m.