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PLEASE BE AWARE: Wildland fire engines and large equipment will continue to be on roads in the fire area and traveling to and from assignments on US Hwy 70 between Havelock and New Bern. Please slow down and use caution when driving near them.  

BLACK SWAMP ROAD CLOSED:  Fire suppression through the use of water pumping operations along Black Swamp Road within the fire footprint will involve numerous types of equipment and personnel. To ensure firefighter and public safety the Black Swamp Road will remain closed to the public by barricades. 

Weather: Southwesterly winds are expected Monday into Tuesday as high pressure shifts farther offshore. By late Tuesday, a cold front approaching from the north, will cause the wind to begin to veer westerly by the end of the day on Tuesday. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible each day, with the best chances within the burn area being after nightfall on Monday and then Tuesday afternoon and evening. Minimum relative humidity values of 50-55% are expected for most of the area with peak winds around 10-15 mph and temperatures ranging from 68 to 87 degrees both days. 

Acreage: 32,400 acres; Containment: 75%; Personnel and Equipment: 210 total personnel; 2 helicopters, 10 engines, 2 Type-2 and 5 Type-3 tractor plow units, 2 track-mounted engines and 1 ambulance.  

Firefighters will continue to patrol and monitor for heat sources today. The flooding of about 1000 acres of the southeastern part of the fire is rehydrating swamp and marsh lands and eliminating heat sources allowing crews to patrol and suppress flare-ups on lands not able to be flooded.  Large volume water pumps and equipment to flood additional areas has arrived but will take several more days to be set up and operational. This will be a flooding operation along Black Swamp Road to raise the water table on lands in the southwestern part of the fire.  Needlecast continues to accumulate in the fire area creating fresh fuel that will flare up when on heat sources. Crews are patrolling and extinguishing flames and making certain needlecast does not compromise firelines.  

Air quality: Information on current air quality data for North Carolina is at https://www.airnow.gov/.   

Closures: The road closures on Forest Service Road 203 (Holston Creek Road) remains in effect.  Black Swamp Road is closed due to fire suppression equipment and personnel working along the road.   

Updates to road closures surrounding the fire are at https://drivenc.gov/.    

Firewise: Information on preparing your home and property to reduce the risk from fire can be found at https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Wildfire/Firwise-USA  

Donations: Those interested in donating to firefighters, please consider assisting your local fire departments and /or the Wildland Firefighter Foundation https://wffoundation.org