The Whipping Creek Road Fire is now 13,773 acres in size and 48% contained. The Saturday evening storm dropped an average of 0.15 inches of rain on the fire. Although the fire footprint has received several rain events, fine fuels can dry quickly. The recent decrease in visible fire and smoke is evident on the fire perimeter; however, changes in the weather can cause fire activity to increase. The weather changes leading to increased fire behavior include rising temperatures, decreased humidity, and changes in wind direction and speed. Fire crews are monitoring weather and fuel conditions in their daily planning of suppression tactics.
A Saturday evening flight of the fire perimeter using infrared camera technology provided increased accuracy of the fire size and location and areas requiring attention due to residual heat. Firefighters continue to construct and improve containment lines to support burnout operations and monitor the fire perimeter for flare-ups. The incident now has 143 firefighters and fire managers assigned to the fire, primarily from the North Carolina Forest Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The estimated cost of suppression efforts to date is $505,242.00.
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