COCKE COUNTY, Tenn. — A large wildfire continued to grow in North Carolina near Cocke County, Tennessee on Friday.
The "Black Bear Fire" was sparked by a car crash on Interstate 40, according to the Cocke County Emergency Management Agency. The wildfire was burning in Haywood County, North Carolina, near Mile Marker 3 on I-40, which is 3 miles from Cocke County and the Tennessee state line.
The North Carolina Forest Service said crews were responding. It said the fire had grown to around 1,740 acres, burning in steep terrain that made it tough to contain. They said it was 42% contained at around 9 p.m. on Monday.
The forest service also said no injuries were reported in the crash or fire and 30 personnel were responding to it.
Both the U.S. Forest Service and North Carolina Forest Service were using air tankers and helicopters to contain the fire, along with a 20-person crew and dozers to dig a containment line and clear brush.
"Aircraft are conducting retardant and water drops to slow the fire progression. Fire activity is very active, moving up a ridge through dry fuels," a release said.
A part of the Appalachian Trail was closed because of the fire — from I-40 to Max Patch. Cold Springs Road and Brown Gap Road were also closed, and firefighters said people could expect to see smoke while driving on I-40 near the fire.
NCDOT said drivers should expect delays when driving on I-40 near the Pigeon River Gorge due to smoke from the fire lowering visibility. It said people driving between Asheville and Tennessee should consider taking the long way around through Johnson City because of fire and road construction delays.
"The fire may continue for several days. Drivers should use I-26 and I-81 between Asheville and Tennessee to avoid the area affected by the work zone and the fire," NCDOT said.
The fire marked one of several that burned in East Tennessee and Western North Carolina and beyond over the past few days. The entire region has a high fire danger due to extremely dry conditions and breezy winds that can turn underbrush, like leaves or pines, into fuel for wildfires. Burn restrictions are in place in every East Tennessee county.
"Carelessness is probably the biggest cause of outdoor fires right now, and not adhering to the warnings that officials put out there," said Jeff Bagwell, a spokesperson for Rural Metro in Knox County.