[Sunday, May 4, morning update: Brunswick County Sheriff‘s Office noted all mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders and roads around Boiling Spring Lakes are reopening. Drivers should utilize caution due to heavy smoke conditions still prevalent. The fire is active and continues to be worked by firefighters, though there are no morning updates on containment.]
BRUNSWICK COUNTY — After firefighters fully contained a 200-acre wildfire in Boiling Springs Lake Friday evening, windy conditions fueled its growth Saturday.
The wildfire is no longer contained, due to hot spots reigniting that jumped barriers and control lines crews had in place around the perimeter. The fire has spread to roughly 800 acres and into unincorporated areas of the county, according to the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office.
Emergency crews and fire departments from surrounding counties and municipalities continue battling the flames. The NC Forest Service is also on site, digging trenches to box in 4,500 acres of woodlands, and flying helicopters and planes to retrieve water and help fight the fire.
Brunswick County issued a reminder that drones are illegal to fly in the area, due to the fire, as noted in N.C.G.S. §15A-300.4:
“No person, entity, or State agency shall use an unmanned aircraft system within either a horizontal distance of 3,000 feet or a vertical distance of 3,000 feet from any forest fire within the jurisdiction of the N.C. Forest Service.”
According to county officials, two drones flew near Sunset Road on Friday and grounded aircraft efforts for 45 minutes.
“When a wildfire runs and spreads rapidly, every minute counts,” the county issued in a statement.
There have been no reported damages or losses, but evacuations remain for Bordeaux, Pine Lake, Black Hawk, Hunters, Barclay, Bluebird and Garage roads. Anyone who needs shelter is encouraged to go to South Brunswick High School, 280 Cougar Rd., where the American Red Cross is set up; domestic animals must be crated or in a kennel.
NC-87 is closed in Boiling Spring Lakes until further notice. Travelers to Southport Oak Island, St James, and Bald Head Island should use the NC-211 detour; travelers through the area overall should be aware of smoky conditions. DEQ still has Brunswick County under a code red air quality, with New Hanover under code orange.
Boiling Springs Lake and Brunswick County went into a state of emergency on Friday. Both also issued a burn ban, effective Saturday at 5 p.m. The ban prevents burning of vegetation or debris within 100 feet of an unoccupied dwelling. It also prohibits burns in fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, igniting sparklers and such.
The burn ban from the county affects unincorporated areas. Those who live in individual towns should contact their municipality to inquire if one is in place; Oak Island and Leland issued burn bans Saturday as well.
The ban will remain in effect until dry conditions improve in the county, as the area is considered in a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor for North Carolina.
Emergency notifications from the county and Boiling Spring Lakes can be signed up for here and a landing page specifically for fire updates can be found here.
An update on containment measures will be provided on Sunday morning, according to the county, as crews continue responding to the active situation throughout the night.
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