CRESWELL, N.C. (WNCT) — The “Last Resort Fire” that’s been burning since last Friday in Tyrrell County remained at 48% contained and at 5,293 acres in size as of 4 p.m., the NC Forest Service reported Wednesday afternoon.
Drone flights will continue to evaluate the progress and extent of the fire. Personnel were working on a plan to use water sources from nearby to minimize the loss of organic soil. Officials said the fire and salt water could destroy peat soils and that protecting that was very important.
“To protect the organic peat soils, reduce smoke impacts and prevent reburn, irrigation
systems are being staged for water pumping operations to begin in the coming days,” officials said in a media release Tuesday.
The cause of the fire has been determined to be debris burn on private land that escaped containment, NC Forest officials said.
NC Forest Service officials said towns in the area of the wildfire can continue to see and deal with smoke, including areas like Plymouth, Columbia and Belhaven, into Thursday morning.
Operational resources working the fire include 72 personnel from the N.C. Forest Service
and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, officials said. No injuries have been reported.
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