Fire crews mostly contain wildfire in Windrock area
This view, shot by a drone operated by the Oak Ridge Fire Department, shows the outline of the wildfire on Windrock Mountain on Thursday, Nov. 16.
The Forestry Division said Monday that the Windrock fire had grown to cover 328 acres, but was “95% contained.”
Tuesday’s rain was expected to help further suppress the blaze.
Off-road driving trails throughout the Windrock Off Highway Vehicle Park were helping the fire crews to keep the fire from spreading, as they were serving as fire breaks.
“At approximately 8:13 p.m., Thursday, Marlow Volunteer Fire Department responded to multiple reports of brush fires in the areas of Windrock Road, Frost Bottom Road, and Stoney Flat Lane,” according to a report Friday morning from the Anderson County mayor’s office.
“Upon arriving on the scene, first responders determined it was one fire seen from multiple areas. The fire was located between trail G2 and Trail G9. Crews from Marlow VFD, Oliver Springs Fire Department, Oak Ridge Fire Department, Briceville VFD, the Tennessee Division of Forestry, and Anderson County Emergency Management Agency responded as well.
“Crews were on scene throughout the night to keep a close eye on the fire and to ensure that it did not break the natural containment lines of the trails.”
Another wildfire was burning late last week in Union County in the area north of Lone Mountain Road, near Andersonville, but it did not move into Anderson County, said Ambrea Kroth, chief of the Andersonville Volunteer Fire Department.
A large and wide plume of white smoke was clearly visible from Andersonville and parts of Norris from the Union County fire, but Kroth said her department scouted the area and was not able to get to the actual fire scene.
She said the department was able to ascertain that the fire had not reached Anderson County.
Drought conditions continued early week, but rain did arrive overnight Monday and continued throughout the day Tuesday.
Despite some light rain late last week, and with the newly fallen leaves, the woods throughout the area, had been like tinderboxes.
As for the Windrock area, “Forestry is asking any people who might be in the area of the G1-G2 trails to use extreme caution,” Anderson County Emergency Management Director Brice Kidwell said Monday.
“Winds are predicted to increase … and with the mountain’s terrain being altered by this fire, any high winds could uproot some trees in that area.”
“The East Tennessee area, including parts of Anderson County, is in an exceptional drought period with very little rain in the past few months,” said a report Monday from the office of County Mayor Terry Frank.
“Anderson County residents are strongly urged not to do outdoor burning of any kind, including dropping used cigarette butts on the ground,” the report added.
While there were some flareups reported with the containment area of the Rocky Top-area wildfire last Wednesday, that fire remained under control, but had burned an estimated 397 acres.
No dwellings or outbuildings have been affected by the current Windrock fire or by the previous week’s Rocky Top fire, county emergency management officials said.
Clinton last week was able to control a small wildfire in the area of the new Aspire Park, with no threat to any buildings.
The Anderson County EMA “strongly encourages all residents to refrain from burning any outside debris, utilizing outdoor gas or charcoal grills, or starting campfires or bonfires,” said Leean Tupper, public information officer for the agency.