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HAOE LEAD

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  • wildfire Wildfire
  • prescribed fire Prescribed Fire
  • burned area emergency response Burned Area Response
  • other type Other

HAOE LEAD

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Unit Information

National Forests in North Carolina 
North Carolina 
160A Zillicoa Street 
Asheville, 
North Carolina 
28801 
National Forests in North Carolina 
North Carolina 
160A Zillicoa Street 
Asheville, 
North Carolina 
28801 

Incident Contacts

Email: 2025.haoelead@firenet.gov
Phone: 828-367-0523
Hours: 0800 - 2000

Highlighted Media

Haoe Lead Fire Hoselay Video
Tue, 04/22/2025 - 08:33
Haoe Lead Fire Hoselay Video

Haoe Lead Fire Hoselay Video

The lightning-caused HAOE LEAD Fire was first reported on April 12, 2025. The Haoe Lead Fire is burning within the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness of the Cheoah Ranger District of the Nantahala National Forest, approximately 7 miles west of Robbinsville, North Carolina, and 2 miles west of Lake Santeetlah. The fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy and is burning predominantly in hardwood leaf litter in steep and rugged terrain.. The rugged terrain, remote location and weather conditions (including high winds and low humidity) continue to provide challenges to fire personnel working. Air resources are being utilized as weather conditions allow. Public and firefighter safety is the highest priority in managing this fire.

Basic Information
Current as of Wed, 04/23/2025 - 11:59
Incident Type Wildfire
Cause Lightning
Date of Origin
Location Joyce Kilmer - Slickrock Wilderness Area 7 miles west of Robbinsville, NC
Incident Commander Mitch Ketron IC Southern Area Incident Managment Gray Team
Coordinates 35° 22' 35'' Latitude
-83° 56'
25
'' Longitude
Current Situation
Total Personnel: 124
Size 3,103 Acres
Percent of Perimeter Contained 29%
Estimated Containment Date 05/10/2025
Fuels Involved

Hardwood Litter
Light Logging Slash

Narrative:
1 to 10 hour fuels are the primary carrier of the fire. Fire is mostly within an old fire scar from 2016 with numerous standing and down snags from that fire
Significant Events

Minimal 

Smoldering
Narrative:
Due to over 0.75 to 1.0 inches of Rain over the fire area over night, and continued rain through out the day today. fire behavior will be minimal with smoldering stump holes and possible hot spots on the underside of down logs being the only place that may have open flame
Outlook
Planned Actions

New Divisions:  
Begin developing Suppression Repair Plan for fire. 
All Division will begin Back haul of trash Hoses and pumps and sprinkler kits and all other equipment as well as the following. 
DIV A - Patrol division and finish developing ignition plan with DIV S to establish anchor points within the wilderness boundary, for use, if necessary after the rain front passes. 
DIV F - Continuing to Hold and monitor and patrol from burn out along Horse Cove Branch to state road 1127 Maple Springs Overlook and other infrastructure throughout the division. 
DIV K - Hold patrol and mop up from burnout along hand line from Stratton Bald Trail down to Santeetlah road (FSR 81) on the south side and down to Little Santeetlah Creek on the North side. 
DIV S - Patrol division and finish developing ignition plan with DIV A to establish anchor points within the Wilderness Boundary South along the Haoe Lead Trail from good black on the northwestern most point of the fire to where the wilderness boundary separates from the Haoe Lead Trail. Then continuing South to Tie into Santeetlah road (FRS 81), for use, if necessary after the rain front passes.
Projected Incident Activity

12 hours:Minimal due to predicted continued rain event with heavy to moderate rain fall expected throughout the day and into the night. With a chance of pop up thunderstorms during the
through out the day bringing erratic gusts and heavier rain amounts.
24 hours: Minimal due to predicted continued rain event with heavy to moderate rain fall expected throughout the day and into the night. With a chance of pop up thunderstorms during the
through out the day bringing erratic gusts and heavier rain amounts.
48 hours: Minimal due to predicted continued rain event with heavy to moderate rain fall expected throughout the day and into the night. With a chance of pop up thunderstorms during the
through out the day bringing erratic gusts and heavier rain amounts.
72 hours: Minimal due to predicted continued rain event with heavy to moderate rain fall expected throughout the day and into the night. With a chance of pop up thunderstorms during the through out the day bringing erratic gusts and heavier rain amounts.
Anticipated after 72 hours: Minimal due to predicted continued rain event with heavy to moderate rain fall expected throughout the day and into the night. With a chance of pop up thunderstorms during the through out the day bringing erratic gusts and heavier
rain amounts
Current Weather
Weather Concerns

A wetter pattern returns today and continues through the end of the week with at least scattered showers and a few thunderstorms expected each day. This will keep humidity values well above critical thresholds. Winds will be generally light with erratic gusts possible with any storms. max temp 63. min. Humidity 80%, with 70% of 1.2 inches of rainfall over the fire area predicted during the day on Wednesday. Mixing heights: 6100 feet AGL. Some light showers may develop as early as 3-4pm Monday afternoon, but it's far more likely that any appreciable rain will arrive during the overnight hours from Monday night into Tuesday morning.  Chance of thunderstorms through the day. Rain showers in the afternoon.

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