Sunday's Story

As the Evans Road wildfire entered its third week Sunday, evacuation orders for some residents were lifted.

Hyde County says residents of the Waterway Landing community will be allowed to return home. Emergency Management Director Tony Spencer says a good fire control line has now been established in the New Lake area, lessening the threat to homes.

The fire started 15 days ago when foresters say lightning struck in Hyde County. Sunday evening the fire was holding at 41,060 acres or 64 square miles.

As of Sunday there were 514 people helping with firefighting efforts from states as far away as Arizona. Eight helicopters, 4 air tankers and 4 Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopters with water dropping capability are now assigned to the fire.

Cost of fighting the fire now exceeds $3,860,000.

The N.C. Forest Service says with moderated weather and fire conditions, firefighters are working on improving containment lines and pumping water into to peat soil which is on fire.

Smoke from the fire continues to pose health problems. The N.C. Division of Air Quality issued its third Code Purple Alert Sunday. This impacts those people living north of the Pamlico River and east of the Chowan River.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality says those sensitive to air pollution should avoid all physical activity outside. Everyone else should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion. Outdoor burning is also banned.

Another Code Purple Alert was issued for Monday for the same area as well.

The National Weather Service has extended a dense smoke advisory until 5:00 p.m. Monday for mainland Dare & Hyde counties as well as Tyrrell County. Forecasters say light west to southwest winds will continue pushing the smoke plume to the northeast corner of the state today.

Two public meetings will be held on Monday in Manteo. The first one, at 3:00 p.m. is designed for business owners and government officials. It will be held at the Outer Banks Visitor Bureau.

A second meeting for residents and visitors of the Outer Banks will be at 7:00 pm in the large auditorium at Roanoke Island Festival Park. Both meetings will discuss the smoke issues and impacts related to the Evans Road Fire.

Saturday's Update

A Code Purple air quality alert remains in effect for parts of northeastern North Carolina today as winds from the wildfire push north.

Those living east of I-95 and north of U.S. Highway 64, are under a Code Purple Alert Saturday. That includes Edenton, Elizabeth City, Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Plymouth, Rocky Mount and Tarboro. People in that area should avoid strenuous or prolonged outdoor activity. The state says those with breathing problems should stay inside.

Code Purple is the highest air pollution alert North Carolina has ever enacted.

Code Purple conditions are likely Sunday in the areas north of the Pamlico River and east of the Chowan River, including Edenton, Elizabeth City, Kill Devil Hills, Manteo, Nags Head, Plymouth and Washington.

The Evans Road fire that's been burning now for two weeks is finally getting help from FEMA. Governor Mike Easley says the federal agency reconsidered and has now agreed to help with the costs of fighting the massive fire.

Saturday the NC Forest Service said the fire grew to 41,060 acres and remains 40% contained.

The Forest Service says burnout operations were completed Friday to help contain the spread of the fire to the north and east.

Currently there are 534 people assisting firefighting efforts in Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties. Costs are now estimated at $2.3 million.

The governor's office says the fire is also impacting travel on Highway 64, which is the primary access to the Outer Banks. The state says closure of that highway has the potential to cause $2 million in lost tourism revenue per day.

Friday's Update

A Code Purple air quality alert has been issued for because of the Evans Road wildfire. This marks the first time the state has issued a Code Purple.

The Division of Air Quality says air quality monitors have measured very unhealthy air pollution levels in areas downwind from the fire.

The Code Purple alert is for areas east of I-95 and north of Highway 70. This includes Greenville, Rocky Mount, Washington, Wilson, Plymouth, Roanoke Rapids, Tarbobo, Edenton and Elizabeth City.

On Saturday, winds are likely to shift and the Code Purple conditions are likely in areas north of the fire, including Edenton and Elizabeth City.

Even with shifting winds, Tim Mather, public information officer with the Division of Air Quality says people in the northeast corner of the state should stay on alert.

The state says air monitors in Washington and Belhaven showed particle levels 30 to 50 times the 24-hour standard. DAQ Director Keith Overcash says these are some of the highest levels of pollution ever recorded. He says people downwind of the fire should take immediate precautions by staying indoors and avoiding physical exertion

Healthy people are being told to avoid prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors during the alert.

Mather says as long as this fire continues to burn, someone is going to have air quality problems.

The smoke was so bad that in Washington it set off two school smoke alarms this morning. Visibility is some parts of Beaufort County is down to a quarter of a mile this morning.

The fire itself stands at 39,979 acres, and remains at 40% contained. The N.C. Forest Service says there are now 530 people supporting the firefighting efforts.

Foresters say fire lines Friday continued to hold along the western and southern boundaries of the blaze. So far 24,402 acres of federal land, 502 acres of state property and 15,075 acres of private land have burned.

Hyde County Emergency Management says evacuations in the Waterway Landing and upper New Lake area must continue until the fire situation around Bull Run stabilizes. The county says the threat to most of the Grassy Ridge area seems more minimized now, and the long term issue there appears to be extreme smoke.

Many of you have asked why there are not more updates on the progress of the fire. The N.C. Forest Service was sending out twice daily updates on the fire, but now have scaled those back to just one. WITN is doing it's best to get the latest information out to our viewers as quickly as we receive it.

Also, the fire progression map was not updated again on Friday. The map posted Wednesday night is the latest one available.

Thursday's Story

Get ready for another day of smoke. The National Weather Service has extended a dense smoke advisory until 10:00 a.m. Friday morning.

The advisory has been issued for Beaufort, Greene, Hyde, Martin, Pitt, and Wilson counties. The advisory has been dropped for Duplin, Edgecombe, Jones, Lenoir, Nash, Onslow, Pamlico, Washington, and Wayne counties.

The weather service says the smoke will continue to drift west and southwest. Meteorologists say visibilities will be reduced to 1/4 mile or less at times.

Smoke Thursday was smelled as far west as Winston-Salem. That's some 240 miles from the fire.

Nash & Edgecombe counties, along with the Raleigh area are under a code red air quality alert Friday because of the thick smoke and pollution. That code red alert will be in effect from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

People with respiratory ailments should remain indoors and it will cause very poor driving conditions in these counties.

The N.C. Division of Air Quality says residents should expect the smoke to continue pushing inland through Friday.

As for the fire, there is a new concern for Hyde County residents who live nearby -- there's a potential for the fire to spread near several homes in the next 24 hours.

Hyde County Emergency Management says the fire continues to vigorously burn and that weather conditions are favorable for the fire to spread in the near future.

The county says it's possible the fire could spread near DeHoad Road in 12 hours, and Boerma Road within 24 hours. The area most likely first impacted would be between County Line Road and Coulborn Road.

Additionally, the N.C. Forest Service says upper New Lake Road, near Dunbar Canal Road could be significantly impacted in the next 24 hours.

Hyde County recommends all people in Grassy Ridge and the C Canal Road area to take precautions in case evacuations are needed later today or Friday.

Foresters say the fire continues to burn, and remains at 40% contained.
The state says Current projections estimate the fire will not be fully contained until July 31.

The N.C. Forest Service says field observers were better able to define the fire's size and now the fire stands at 39,979 acres.

There are now 473 people helping fight the largest wildfire to hit North Carolina in 22 years. The Forest Service says fire suppression costs have increased to $2,036,276.

Local residents living north and east of the fire will have a chance to learn more about the fire and its progress. Community meetings will be held Saturday in Columbia and Monday in Manteo. Saturday's meeting will be held at 7:00 p.m.at the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center. Another one will be held Monday at 7 p.m. in Manteo at the large auditorium, Roanoke Island Festival Park.

Wednesday's Story

Firefighters battling the Evans Road fire are again dealing with the changing weather. Smoke is now beginning to filter well inland.

WITN has received reports of smoke from Washington, Greenville, Kinston, New Bern and Havelock.

The National Weather Service has issued a Dense Smoke Advisory for Beaufort, Hyde, Dare, Pamlico, Washington and Tyrrell Counties until 8 pm this evening.

Northeast winds are pushing the smoke as far west as Greenville and as far south as New Bern.

So far the fire has burned 41,802 acres in Hyde, Tyrrell & Washington counties, increasing Tuesday by 17%.

Dean McAlister, a fire public information officer says winds today will be out of the northeast, but but tonight they will shift to out of the east. That could push the fire back toward Evans Road.

A spot fire Tuesday caused by a passing storm forced the evacuation of some 50 homes in the Waterway Landing area. McAlister says that evacuation order is still in effect and will last until at least this evening. Two families spent the night at a shelter set up at the Belhaven fire department.

Foresters say yesterday's rain was beneficial, but not enough to significantly decrease fire behavior for more than 24 hours.

There are now 341 people supporting the firefighting efforts, while costs have increased to $1,384,015.

Tuesday's Story

The Evans Road fire grew Tuesday as shifting wind brought smoke from the massive fire back inland.

Tuesday also brought renewed new evacuations for parts of Hyde County.

Hyde County emergency management says Waterway Landing and upper New Lake Road were evacuated due to fire advancement and the change in weather. This impacts about 50 homes.

The Belhaven fire station remained open as a shelter for those being evacuated.

Tuesday storms producing lightning, strong winds and rain rumbled across Hyde, Tyrrell & Washington counties as hundreds of firefighters struggled to gain the upper hand on the massive wildfire.

The Evans Road fire is the largest wildfire to hit North Carolina in 22 years. Tuesday it grew to 40,195 acres or 63 square miles. Back in 1986 75,000 acres burned in Pender County.

Currently there are 351 personnel are in place, and foresters say more resources continue to arrive from other states as far away as Arizona.

Monday's Story

The total acreage burned in the Evans Road wildfire is now 35,691 acres or about 56 square miles.

The N.C. Forest Service says a portion of Monday's increased fire size can be attributed to burn out operations that were conducted to improve containment lines. The fire continues to spread east and northeast within the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

Public information officer Bill Swartley says containment of the 8 day old fire remains at 40%, with 20 miles of containment lines that need to be constructed or improved.

The fire is projected to spread farther northeast into the Wildlife Refuge over the next 24 hours. Swartley says Tuesday's fire behavior may challenge firefighters due to an expected increase in wind speed from the southwest with gusts to 20 miles per hour.

The Forest Service says there are now 337 personnel supporting this massive fire and more resources continue to arrive. That includes personnel and equipment from Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Fire suppression costs have increased to $1,113,570 and do not include operational costs incurred by cooperating local and federal agencies.

Click here to view stories from the first week of the fire.