CALDWELL COUNTY, N.C. — A wildfire covering about 20 acres near Burns Road in Caldwell County on Friday has prompted evacuations as firefighters work to protect nearby homes.
Caldwell County volunteers and the N.C. Forest Service are actively responding to the wildfire, which has already led to evacuations in the affected area.
Firefighters are focusing their efforts on keeping the flames away from several homes that are in close proximity to the wildfire.
Crews used blowers to keep leaves away from Tina Bumgarner’s home as she grabbed what she could to get out.
About 75 yards out her back door, she could see flames move down the mountainside, toward her home.
“I’m thumping,” Bumgarner said. “My heart is thumping, right now. I’m very nervous. I came home and I saw smoke and the closer I got, I could see it was right here by my house.”
Firefighters from three counties were called in.
Some residents grabbed water hoses to wet down their homes. The North Carolina Forest Service wasn’t taking any chances either with the dry and breezy conditions.
They used fire to fight the fire, blackening the hillside near the homes in hopes of cutting off the fuels for the flames.
Overhead, a helicopter made a dozen water drops while bulldozers were used to cut lines on the mountainside.
“It’s pretty dry so far,” said resident Tina Henderson. “It hasn’t rained in three weeks.”
The helicopter can drop 200 to 300 gallons of water at a time.
There were no reports of damage by late Friday afternoon.
The cause is under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates.
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