Firefighters with infrared imaging equipment conducted a flight over
the Evans Road Fire Saturday morning.

Even though the fire received four days of rain this week, the infrared images indicated there are isolated hot spots.

Multiple smoke plums were also reported and mapped.

Firefighters continue to flood hot spots and heat sources that have
been pinpointed by infrared imagery. Saturday's strategy is to construct hard-line pipes on the north side of New Lake. By using the downhill slope, firefighters will flood the hot spots in an effort to raise the water table.

Firefighters are patrolling on a routine basis looking for hotspots.

The Evans Road Fire is 75% contained at 40,704 acres. To date, sixty
(60%) percent of the fire has burned on US Fish and Wildlife Lands.

Forty (40%) percent of the fire has burned on state and private lands.

The Florida Interagency Incident Management Blue Team's final working day is Sunday and leavefor Florida early Monday morning.

They tell us, "Our time here in North Carolina has been challenging, but productive. Even though we left the comforts of home, the North Carolina residents have made our long hours rewarding. We would like to thank the kind people of the state of North Carolina for their hospitality. We also would like to thank the local firefighters and all cooperators for inviting us to assist; we were happy to repay the favor. "

For the Evans Road Fire, firefighters from around the country have packed their bags and set off to fight fire. Their basic needs of food and laundry service were provided by the volunteers from the North Carolina Baptist Men.

The Evans Road Firefighters took up a collection and presented the North Carolina Baptist Men's Representative, Greg Avery a check for $590.00.

The money is for the North Carolina Baptist Men's next mission.
Sheer respect and gratitude were given to the North Carolina Baptist Men as firefighters gave them a standing applause for their support during this incident.

PREVIOUS STORY:
More than 250 people are still fighting the Evans Road wildfire.

While the flames are now 75 percent contained, 40,704 acres were still burning on Friday, July 25.

Firefighters are using high-tech portable weather stations called RAWS, an acronym for Remote Automated Weather Station, to predict weather on the fire and protect firefighters on the lines. Four RAWS have been strategically placed on different sides of the fire to collect vital, site-specific weather data that can quickly warn firefighters of weather changes that might put them at risk.

Each RAWS is capable of collecting information on wind speed and direction, peak winds, air temperature, fuel temperature, fuel moisture, relative humidity and warning systems related to low humidity and high winds. Alarm warnings alert firefighters of potentially dangerous fire conditions so that they can take appropriate safety action.

Four days of rain have helped some. Crews are using infrared imagery to identify hot spots.

The fire is in peat soil. That's 90% organic matter that has been compressed over many years. These fires can burn for months.

As of July 25, 60 percent of the fire has burned on US Fish and Wildlife Lands. Forty percent of the fire has burned on state and private lands.

Caution is advised while driving as smoke can reduce visibility on highways. Check out the links below for smoke advisories and a map.