Plains/Thompson Falls District:  Firefighters will burn up to 10 acres of piles located 3 miles north of Plains. Smoke may be visible from Plains and Highway 200. 

Seeley Ranger District:  Firefighters will burn up to 7 acres of piles at the Camp Paxson Admin site, west of Seeley Lake.  Smoke may be visible from Highway 83 and Seeley Lake. 

Media Contact:

Southern Area Red Team

2025.RattlesnakeBranch@firenet.gov

(828) 519-8242

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ncncf-rattlesnake-branch

https://www.facebook.com/nfsnc/

Rattlesnake Branch Fire Daily Update -- March 31, 2025

Note: Please drive cautiously on State Route 276 and other roads around the fire. Please do not stop along the side of the road for your protection and the protection of firefighters and equipment.

CRUSO, N.C., March 31, 2025—The Rattlesnake Branch Fire is on private land and the Shining Rock Wilderness Area on Pisgah National Forest around the community of Cruso, approximately 11 miles southeast of Waynesville, North Carolina. It started on March 26, 2025, and quickly spread due to dry conditions and hardwood leaves and branches on the ground. The cause is under investigation.

The fire is approximately 1,865 acres and 21-percent contained. The decrease in acreage is due to better mapping. More than 100 personnel are on the fire.

Yesterday’s ActivitiesFirefighters had another day of minimal fire activity to continue protecting homes and containing the fire. Some fire areas received a few hundredths of an inch of rain, which was less than predicted. Crews mopped up along US-276, Crawford Creek and Cold Creek and continued structure protection and work under powerlines in these areas. They continued to build and improve fire containment lines north of the fire footprint on the east side of the fire, including putting in fire lines around homes.

The Southern Area Red Team met with local firefighters at Lake Logan-Cecil Fire Department to gain situational awareness, and they scouted out areas north and west of the fire to identify structures to be included in protection planning. A drone flew to identify hot spots with infrared technology and map the fire’s perimeter, but the weather limited its use.

Today’s ActivitiesToday, crews will continue to construct, hold and improve fire lines and mop up as necessary, including efforts to secure the fire’s edge around powerlines and private property in Cruso, along US-276, Crawford Creek and Rattlesnake Branch Road. Firefighters will work on fire lines from Cold Creek Road to Burnette Cove Road and identify structures to be protected.

Fire personnel will scout areas around Dix Creek, Chambers Cove and Schoolhouse Branch roads to identify structures needing protection and places to put in fire containment lines to prevent the fire from spreading from the Shining Rock Wilderness Area onto private lands. In the wilderness, firefighters will use only chainsaws, leaf blowers and bucket water drops from helicopters and will coordinate with a resource advisor to protect wilderness values during fire suppression. This includes determining appropriate areas from which to draft water.

A drone is assigned to the fire to help with aerial ignition, mapping and reconnaissance. Other aircraft available include two large helicopters, two small helicopters, two air attack platforms and two and fixed-wing “super scoopers”.

Weather/Fire Behavior: Showers and thunderstorms are likely in the morning after 10 am, with rain amounts up to 0.30 inches. Winds associated with storms may be erratic, strong and potentially damaging. Fire personnel will remain vigilant for stormy weather and will take shelter if necessary. The high temperature is predicted to be in the low 60s and relative humidity 60-65 percent early on, decreasing to around 40 percent later in the day with passage of a frontal system. Winds will be southwest, shifting to west then northwest after 3 p.m., 8-12 mph, gusting to 26 mph.

Fire potential will be moderated again today due to increased moisture. The fire may smolder and creep before and between rain events and areas not receiving rain may become active. Although rain is expected today, it is predicted to be minimal. Air quality information is available at Smoke Outlook for Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, www.airnow.gov and www.wildlandfiresmoke.net.

Closures and Restrictions: The Pisgah National Forest has issued an area closure of the Shining Rock Wilderness Area to protect the public from wildfire and firefighting operations. This closure includes all National Forest System land between US-276 and NC-215 north of the Blue Ridge Parkway (between mile markers 405 and 420). Please stay safe and keep out of these areas.

Following the statewide burn ban issued for North Carolina, the USDA Forest Service issued a fire restriction on open burning National Forest land, including building, maintaining or using campfires, open stove fires and fire rings, to mitigate wildfire risks. 

A temporary flight restriction is in effect in and around the fire area. This includes use of personal drones. If you fly, we cannot fly!

For wildfire updates, follow the National Forests in North Carolina on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nfsnc or visit https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ncncf-rattlesnake-branch.

March 31, 2025 

Acres: 2,862 acres                                                                                           Start Date: 03/22/2025 

Location: Clayton, GA                                                                                    Personnel: 259 

Containment: 8%                                                                                          Fuels: Timber 

Resources: 14 crews | 11 engines | 4 dozers | 1 helicopter 

Highlights: The Big Ridge Fire has received 0.25 inches of rain as of 7:00 a.m. today.  An additional 0.5 to 1.0 inches are expected. This rain will not put the fire out, but it will give firefighters the opportunity to construct direct line where terrain allows. Structure protection specialists from the Georgia Forestry Commission are visiting communities around the Big Ridge Fire along Warwoman Creek. 

Fire Activity: Little fire activity is expected today because of the rain. On the north side of the fire closest to Sky Valley the fire is quiet, and this is where firefighters have achieved containment. Crews will be scouting direct line east from Rabun Bald to Coldspring Gap. Firefighters completed the line from Dan Gap to Walnut Fork on the south yesterday and crews will be improving and holding this line today. Secondary line construction will also continue.

The U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations is seeking information regarding the circumstances around the cause of the Big Ridge Fire. If anyone was in the area on March 22, 2025, and observed suspicious activity please call the Georgia Forestry Commission Arson Hotline 1-800-428-7337.

Weather:  Today’s forecast calls for 70 degrees and minimum relative humidity of 50%. Winds will be south with sustained speeds of 5-10 mph and gusts of 20 mph. This evening winds will shift to northwest with sustained speeds of 10-20 mph and gusts up to 35 mph. Tuesday will be much drier and warm.

Evacuations: None.  

Closures: A closure order is in place for the vicinity of the Big Ridge Fire. For details visit https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/gachf-big-ridge-fire

More Information: 

Air Quality: https://www.airnow.gov/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChattOconeeNF              

Email: 2025.BigRidge@firenet.gov 

Fire Information: 770-230-1020    

Big Ridge Fire Recorded Information Line: 706-982-4729                      

Inciweb:  https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/gachf-big-ridge-fire

Sky Valley
GOOD to MODERATE air expected due to wind shifts and rain. Visibility impacts possible due to the area's high elevation.

SMOKE
Decreased fire activity will likely reduce smoke production, but winds may bring smoke to the area from fires that receive less rainfall. Much of the forecast area will have air quality that is MODERATE to GOOD. Catawba Nation will likely have GOOD air quality. More smoke may arrive Tuesday from a potential increase in fire activity.

SPECIAL STATEMENT
Stay informed of evacuation orders, air quality alerts, fire danger information, and other public safety advisories in your area. Due to erratic winds from incoming thunderstorms and large number of fires in the area, smoke impacts have the potential to change quickly.

HEALTH STATEMENT
Smoke can be harmful to your health. Check with your doctor if there are any health concerns and monitor your local air quality conditions using the Fire and Smoke Map.

Rattlesnake Branch Fire

Fire Information 828-519-8242

Email: 2025.RattlesnakeBranch@firenet.gov

Website: https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ncncf-rattlesnake-branch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nfsnc/

Sunday, March 30, 2025

Note: Please drive cautiously on State Route 276 and other roads around the fire. Please do not stop along the side of the road for your protection and the protection of firefighters and equipment.

The Rattlesnake Branch Fire is on private land and the Shining Rock Wilderness Area on Pisgah National Forest around the community of Cruso, approximately 11 miles southeast of Waynesville, North Carolina. It started on March 26, 2025 and quickly spread due to dry conditions and hardwood leaves and branches on the ground. The cause is under investigation. 

The fire is approximately 1,882 acres and 21 percent contained. 137 personnel are on the fire, with more firefighters and equipment on the way.

Yesterday’s Activities

The Southern Area Red Complex Incident Management Team joined in command of the fire. Firefighters took advantage of yesterday’s minimal fire behavior to continue work to protect homes and contain the fire. 

Around Cruso, crews mopped up areas where they had strategically burned to reduce threats to homes. They constructed a fire containment line from Bass Pond in the Cold Creek drainage to the Shining Rock Wilderness boundary and scouted out areas, including along Burnette Cove Road and talking to landowners to put in more firelines. They used a helicopter to ignite ridgetops, backing the fire downslope to prevent fire low in the drainage from running upslope in an uncontrolled manner and spotting over the ridgetops.

 In Crawford Creek, firefighters mopped around areas that they burned on Friday to keep the fire above homes in the area and used tactical burning to improve firelines. They complete protecting structures along the bottom of the drainage and also protected powerlines.

Today’s Activities

Today, crews will continue to hold and improve existing fire containment lines located south of Cold Creek Road and west of Route 276. They will protect homes and mop up in Cruso and identify areas for putting in more firelines in the Burnett Creek drainage from Cold Creek to Burnette Cove Road. This will include contacting private landowners to identify opportunities. They also will identify structures to protect in this area, north of the current footprint of the fire. 

Firefighters will work along the flank of the fire as it backs down from ridgetops, occasionally doing some tactical burning to even up firelines so the backing fire does not pose a risk for rapid spread. Firefighters will continue fire protection of cabins in Crawford Creek and will continue to keep the fire from burning homes as it moves up the drainage. 

A UAS (drone) is assigned to the fire to help with aerial ignition, mapping and reconnaissance. The drone will fly around the Cruso area today. Other aircraft available include two large helicopters, two small helicopters, two air attack platforms and two and fixed-wing “super scoopers”.

Weather/Fire Behavior: Today’s weather will bring showers with up to a tenth inch of rain and erratic winds in the morning and a chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon. Firefighters will remain vigilant for thunderstorms and be ready to take shelter, if needed.

The high temperature is predicted to be 65 degrees, relative humidity near 60 percent, and southwest wind 7-12 mph, gusting 25 mph.

Fire potential will be moderated due to increased moisture. The fire may smolder and creep before and between rain events. Flareups are possible in thick, rain-sheltered shrub materials with high winds. Although rain is expected today and tomorrow, it is expected to be minimal; dry conditions are expected to return. Air quality information is available at Smoke Outlook for Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, www.airnow.gov and www.wildlandfiresmoke.net. 

Closures and Restrictions: The Pisgah National Forest has issued an area closure of the Shining Rock Wilderness Area to protect the public from wildfire and firefighting operations. This closure includes all National Forest System land between US-276 and NC-215 north of the Blue Ridge Parkway (between mile markers 405 and 420). Please stay safe and keep out of these areas.

Following the statewide burn ban issued for North Carolina, the USDA Forest Service issued a fire restriction on open burning National Forest land, including building, maintaining or using campfires, open stove fires and fire rings, to mitigate wildfire risks. 

A temporary flight restriction is in effect in and around the fire area. This includes use of personal drones. If you fly, we cannot fly!

March 30, 2025 

Acres: 2,709 acres                                                                                           Start Date: 03/22/2025 

Location: Clayton, GA                                                                                    Personnel: 249 

Containment: 0%                                                                                          Fuels: Timber 

Resources: 14 crews | 9 engines | 3 dozers | 1 helicopter 

Highlights: Rain showers are expected today along with the possibility of thunderstorms. More rain is expected Monday. On Saturday firefighters made good progress on the Big Ridge Fire. On the southwest side the fire continued to advance, but firefighters successfully conducted a strategic firing operation along the 155E Road north of Dan Gap.

Fire Activity: Little fire activity is expected today because of higher humidity and light rain.  Firefighters will take advantage of these improved conditions to construct direct fireline where terrain allows. The north side of the fire closest to Sky Valley continues to be quiet with few hotspots being found. Crews will be working on constructing line from Wilson Knob to Blackstump Gap. They also will be working from Dan Gap to Walnut Fork on the south. North of Rabun Gap firefighters have completed the primary line from Beegum Gap to Hale Ridge and today crews are looking for opportunities to construct line closer to the fire’s edge.

The U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations is seeking information regarding the circumstances around the cause of the Big Ridge Fire. If anyone was in the area on March 22, 2025, and observed suspicious activity please call the Georgia Forestry Commission Arson Hotline 1-800-428-7337.

Weather:  Today’s forecast calls for 67 degrees and minimum relative humidity of 65%. Winds will be southeast with sustained speeds of 10-15 mph and gusts of 20-25 mph. More rain is expected tomorrow. Rainfall totals over the two days expected to be 0.75 to 1.0 inch.

Evacuations: None.  

Closures: A closure order is in place for the vicinity of the Big Ridge Fire. For details visit https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-closures/gachf-big-ridge-fire

More Information: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChattOconeeNF              

Email: 2025.BigRidge@firenet.gov 

Fire Information: 770-530-3950                          

Inciweb:  https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/gachf-big-ridge-fire

SMOKE
Decreased fire activity and winds from the south will likely combine to reduce smoke in the forecast area. Clemson, Greenville, and Spartanburg will likely have MODERATE to GOOD air. Taylors, Pickens, and Sky Valley will have air that is MODERATE, with potential periods of UNHEALTHY FORSENSITIVE GROUPS. Catawba Nation will likely have GOOD air quality.

SPECIAL STATEMENT
Stay informed of evacuation orders, airquality alerts, fire danger information,and other public safety advisories inyour area. Due to erratic winds fromincoming thunderstorms and largenumber of fires in the area, smokeimpacts have the potential to changequickly.

HEALTH STATEMENT
Smoke can be harmful to your health. Check with your doctor if there are any health concerns and monitor your local air quality conditions using the Fire and Smoke Map.

U.S. Forest Service News Release

Media Contact:

Southern Area Red Team

2025.RattlesnakeBranch@firenet.gov

(828) 519-8242

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/ncncf-rattlesnake-branch

https://www.facebook.com/nfsnc/

Rattlesnake Branch Fire Daily Update -- March 29, 2025

Note: Please drive cautiously on Road 276 and other roads around the fire. Please do not stop along the side of the road for your protection and the protection of firefighters and equipment.

CLYDE, N.C., March 29, 2025--The Rattlesnake Branch Fire is on private land and the Shining Rock Wilderness Area on Pisgah National Forest around the community of Cruso, approximately 11 miles southeast of Waynesville, North Carolina. It started on March 26, 2025, and quickly spread due to dry conditions and hardwood leaves and branches on the ground. The cause is under investigation. 

The fire is approximately 1,200 acres and 20-percent contained. More than 80 personnel are on the fire, with more firefighters and equipment on the way.

Yesterday’s Activities

Firefighters made good progress protecting homes in Cruso yesterday. They put in a fire containment line between the area where the fire started and Cold Creek, allowing them to burn around homes, igniting from the ground and from a helicopter to reduce burnable vegetation and secure homes. In the Crawford Creek area, the fire continued to flank uphill. Firefighters used tactical burning to keep the fire above homes in this area. They also provided structure protection as a precautionary measure to reduce their fire risk. The fire continued to burn throughout the night under the watch of night crews.

The Southern Area Red Complex Incident Management Team arrived to help the Pisgah National Forest manage the fire.

Today’s Activities

This morning, the Southern Area Red Team joined command of the Rattlesnake Branch Fire. Crews will continue to protect homes in Cruso and identify areas for putting in more bulldozer fire lines from Cold Creek to Burnett Cove to protect private property. They will do strategic firing operations from helicopter, backing the fire down to reduce the risk of it running uncontrolled upslope and potentially spotting into drainages to the west.

Firefighters will continue to keep the fire from burning downhill towards homes in the Crawford Creek area and will expand assessment of structures needing protection, working westward. They will put in a fire containment line and begin to improve road access for firefighting efforts.

Helicopters and fixed-wing “super scoopers” are available to help fight the fire.

Weather/Fire Behavior: Today will be mostly cloudy, moderating fire behavior. Temperature highs will be in the mid-60s with relative humidity in the mid-40s percent. Winds will be south/southwest 8-14 mph, gusting 20-28 mph.

Dead and down hardwood tree litter, rhododendron and laurel shrubs and conifer species such as white pine are the primary fuels burning in the Rattlesnake Branch Fire. With fire activity expected to be minimal today due to the weather, fire behavior analyst Gary Jarvis said to firefighters, “Today should be a good day to get out there and size things up - fire will be on your side today, not the extreme stuff we’ve seen in the past few days.”

Air quality information is available at Smoke Outlook for Western North Carolina and Upstate South Carolina, www.airnow.gov and www.wildlandfiresmoke.net. 

Closures and Restrictions: The Pisgah National Forest has issued an area closure of the Shining Rock Wilderness Area to protect the public from wildfire and firefighting operations. This closure includes all National Forest System land between US-276 and NC-215 north of the Blue Ridge Parkway (between mile markers 405 and 420). Please stay safe and keep out of these areas.

Following the statewide burn ban issued for North Carolina, the USDA Forest Service issued a fire restriction on open burning National Forest land, including building, maintaining or using campfires, open stove fires and fire rings, to mitigate wildfire risks. 

A temporary flight restriction is in effect in and around the fire area. This includes use of personal drones. If you fly, we cannot fly!

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