The Great Smoky Mountain Journal
Staff Reports
Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 11:25 AM
Tennessee Forestry Officials Trying To Contain Fire On English Mountain
Friday, they said around 25 acres or more could be affected in the fire, and crews said they were having a difficult time establishing fire lines because of cliffs in the area.
On Saturday afternoon, the Associated Press reported Forestry spokesman Nathan Waters said the fire was about 30 percent contained and that no structures were threatened.
The fire was originally called in at 9:21 p.m. on Friday night, according to Sevier County dispatch.
Three fire departments responded to the scene, including firefighters from English Mountain, Caton's Chapel and Sevier County.
As of early Saturday morning, dispatch said the fire was still not contained, but no homes or businesses had been affected. The firefighters are no longer at the scene and the Division of Forestry has taken over the containment process.
Nathan Waters, a spokesperson for the Division of Forestry, said it's taking a while to contain the fire because it is in a very rocky area and they can't use bulldozers in certain areas.
Waters said the area is in proximity to the Preserve on the south ridge of the mountain.
On Sunday, Waters said that 200 acres are being used to help contain the fire and 400 feet of lines were put down around the area. A crew worked through Saturday night to make sure they were in place.
Waters says a crew will work and survey the area all day and night to make sure the area is contained and the fire goes all the way out. He told Local 8 News that people shouldn't worry and the fire is not near any homes.
The active points will be from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. During this time, crews will be watching closely for wind activity and humidity.
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture posted an update on the fire around 2:30 p.m. Sunday on their Facebook page.
