A controlled burn in Brunswick County has gone out of control and is now a wildfire.
The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission (NCWRC) had planned a controlled burn in the Green Swamp Preserve, which is just outside Supply. Theplanned 399-acre burn was marked "complete" on June 13, but evidently sparked up again.
NCWRC lost control over the fire, however, and it has now grown to 2,000 acres. Mike Malcolm from the North Carolina Forest Service told WHQR there’s not currently a threat to any human life or structures.
"There's no evacuations where the fire is at right now. There's no homes or anything being threatened," he said.
Fire crews from the forest services are responding to the fire. He added, "I can tell you this. It won't be out for a while."
You can track active fires being monitored by the North Carolina Forest Service here.
Prescribed fires are intended to help prevent severe wildfires because they cut down on dry vegetation and mimic the natural rhythms of a habitat. They also promote the growth of groundcover vegetation by clearing out competing plants, according to the NCWRC website.
Malcolm said that the air quality is at a code orange, which means the air may be unhealthy for sensitive groups. Smoke particulate is very fine, so experts say N95 or KN95 masks are the most effective for filtering out the particles.
