GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK – Effective today, management of the Laurel Falls II fire just west of Gatlinburg, TN and the Stony Ridge Fire just north of Cherokee, NC has been transferred to an Interagency Incident Management Team (IIMT), according to Bob Miller, management assistant for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The IIMT specializes in directing and providing logistical support to large incidents, especially fires. An official IIMT report today stated that the Stony Ridge fire was 50 percent contained and the Laurel Falls fire was 25 percent contained.

Although the Stony Ridge fire’s western perimeter is secure, fire activity on the eastern perimeter late Wednesday afternoon requires suppression (burnout) operations along the Blue Ridge Parkway on Thursday, the report said.  Burnouts are fire suppression tactics in which fires are deliberately lit ahead of the main fire under carefully selected conditions.  This removes fuel ahead of the fire, putting it out before it reaches the line.  Burnout operations will continue to be an important tactic in suppressing the Stony Ridge Fire, officials said.

For the protection of motorists and firefighters, the Blue Ridge Parkway has been closed from the intersection with Highway 441 on the south to the intersection with Highway 19 (Soco Gap) on the north.  The closure is expected to last approximately 2 days. Visitors and residents can still access Cherokee via Highway 441, and amenities and attractions in the Cherokee area remain open.

The Laurel Falls trailhead and Laurel Falls, Cove Mountain, Little Briar Gap, Little Greenbrier, and Roundtop Trails are closed. The IIMT’s three hand crews built direct line on the east perimeter yesterday, assisted by helicopter bucket drops and an air tanker.

The Stony Ridge fire was caused by a downed power line and the Laurel Falls II fire was started by a campfire, officials said.

The high temperature Thursday is forecast to be 70 to 75 degrees with winds becoming south at 10 mph and 48-55 percent minimum relative humidity.  There will be a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms and showers.

–SCN staff reports