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The 553-acre Old House Bay Fire, located east of the White Lake community in Bladen County, is now 100 percent contained. The N.C. Forest Service will still have firefighters on site today to mop-up any hot spots that are close to the fire line. There is still some interior burning of pockets of organic soil, as well as larger fuels such as stumps and logs. This will continue to produce a large amount of smoke for the next several weeks until the area receives adequate rainfall to fully extinguish these fuels. The fire will be monitored daily by the N.C. Forest Service until it is completely cold.
Residents need to be aware that smoke will still be a concern for driving conditions over the next several weeks, especially during the morning and evening hours. This could also be made much worse if there is fog. Depending upon wind direction, NC 41, NC 53, and NC 210 could be impacted. Drivers should avoid these areas if possible, allow extra time for traveling, and use their headlights for safety.
The N.C. Forest Service reminds residents to use fire responsibly, especially during spring fire season. People being careless with fire is the number one cause of wildfires in the state. March, April, and May are traditionally the worst months for wildfires in North Carolina.
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