The North Carolina Forest Service Incident Management Team has prioritized public and firefighter safety in its ongoing efforts to contain the Sunset Road Fire in Brunswick County. As of the latest update, the fire has affected 1,369 acres with a containment level of 10%.
Firefighting operations continue to be active around the fire perimeter, with wildland fire engines and large equipment present on roads in the area. The public is advised to avoid areas where firefighters are working for safety reasons.
Efforts to reinforce containment lines include using dozer and full track equipment to penetrate organic soils around dense vegetation. Type 6 engines are being utilized to spray water on smoldering areas near homes, while structural firefighters provide assistance as needed. On Saturday morning, extreme wildfire behavior was observed due to a passing cold front that caused the fire to grow beyond existing containment lines.
The Sunset Road Fire began on May 2 in Boiling Spring Lakes, Brunswick County. The cause remains under investigation, but no homes have been destroyed. Changes in reported acreage result from more accurate mapping of the fire perimeter.
Weather conditions may affect firefighting efforts, with a stray storm possible on Monday afternoon and southerly gusts expected midday. A cold front is forecasted to stall over or near the area through mid-week, potentially leading to unsettled weather conditions. Recent precipitation has temporarily moderated fire behavior; however, as humidity drops throughout the day, increased intensity is anticipated in smoldering areas.
A Code Orange air quality alert has been issued for Brunswick County until midnight Monday. Residents can access current air quality data at https://www.airnow.gov/.
As of Sunday afternoon, the temporary evacuation shelter at South Brunswick High School has closed. Updates regarding closures and shelters are available on the Brunswick County website at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/CivicAlerts.
A Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) is currently enforced from ground level up to 3,000 feet until further notice. Details can be found at https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_5_5540. The public is reminded that flying drones within TFR-designated areas is illegal and poses risks to pilots and firefighting operations.
