BRUNSWICK COUNTY — A wild fire near the Shallotte and Ocean Isle main land area began Thursday with some residents evacuated from their homes for hours.
The fire broke out on Old Georgetown Road and according to Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, residents in Lakewood Estates off Ocean Isle Beach Road were asked to leave the area. Brunswick County Emergency Management Mass Evacuation Bus was en route to Ocean Isle; by 9 p.m. evacuation orders lifted; however, law enforcement are asking residents to follow instructions from emergency personnel on evacuation orders immediately as directed.
The fire burned around 50 acres by Thursday evening and an official percentage of containment is not available yet. The North Carolina Forest Service is plowing fire lines on site.
Heavy smoke is likely to remain and could impact visibility. Drivers should avoid the area so first responders can work safely; no injuries have been reported.
Though no road closures are in effect, that could change with traffic being diverted due to the fire. Officials suggest residents check in with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office social media or download the sheriff’s office mobile app for up-to-date roadway information.
All drones are prohibited in the area by state law as to not impede firefighting aircraft.
It’s the second wildfire to break out in this region in the last three months. In the midst of a drought and a water conservation alert in Brunswick County, a fire spanning almost 300 acres began on Quarry Road in Shallotte on the evening of July 10. It closed Georgetown Road and some residents were evacuated.
Though homes weren’t affected, the fire did destroy a residential storage building, commercial property and work equipment, and was fully contained on Aug. 6. It was determined a lightning strike that had smoldered underground was its cause, as extreme high temperatures, heavier fuel dryness and tightly packed duff (decomposing organic materials above the mineral soil but beneath layers of twigs, needles and leaves) contributed to its ignition.
There is no word yet on what has caused the “Quarry Road Two Fire,” as officials have dubbed it.
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