UPDATE: Backup resources called in to help fight Richlands forest fire

Updated at 7:49 p.m.

RICHLANDS — Exhausted firefighters worked all day Friday battling a forest fire off Haw Branch Road in Richlands, despite resources they said are already stretched thin by state budget cuts.

N.C. Forestry Ranger Ricky Adkins said Friday the fire has been stopped at 42 acres. Forestry is calling in any available equipment and personnel in the district to help fight smoking ground fires throughout the area.

“Ground fire is extremely hard to put out once it gets in there, because it hides,” he said. “… We’re kind of on our knees regarding our abilities — all of our equipment is tied up, all of our personnel is tied up.”

Most of the backup resources should be in place by today, he said, but Friday a worn-out crew was doing the best it could.

“We had about four hours of sleep, but we’re raring to go. Morale’s good,” he said. “We’re all tired, though.”

Firefighters are working the Richlands fire while at the same time monitoring a controlled burn that jumped its line last week near Nine Mile Road.

“We hope that we haven’t missed something in there that’s going to come back and bite us,” he said of the controlled burn. “We’re restocking resources, ordering extra resources and preparing for the next fire and at the same time trying to get enough personnel to mop up what we’ve got.”

Once additional personnel and equipment arrive, he said, the outlook will be much better.

“Barring a fire outside the district, we’ll be fully prepared for anything that happens (today),” he said. “I say that, and as soon as I say that nature will throw something at us, but under existing conditions, we’ll be able to handle everything (today).”

Adkins said area residents need to be very careful when burning anything, as the ground is extremely dry right now.

“October being traditionally the driest month of the year, we’re going into that already bone dry,” he said. “The only thing that could make our condition worse is an early frost — we just don’t need any dormant fuels right now.”

Crews continue to battle a forest fire off Haw Branch Road in Richlands, although resources are stretched thin.

N.C. Forestry Ranger Ricky Adkins said the fire has been stopped at 42 acres, and Forestry is calling in any available equipment and personnel in the district to help fight smoking ground fires throughout the affected area.

“Ground fire is extremely hard to put out once it gets in there, because it hides,” he said. “Today, we’re kind of on our knees regarding our abilities — all of our equipment is tied up, all of our personnel is tied up.”

Most of the backup resources should be in place by Saturday, he said, but today an exhausted crew is doing the best it can.

“We had about four hours of sleep, but we’re raring to go. Morale’s good,” he said. “We’re all tired, though.”

RICHLANDS — More than 20 acres were set ablaze in Onslow County Thursday after burning hay was blown into a wooded area, officials said.

North Carolina Forestry Ranger Ricky Adkins said firefighters from Hargett’s Crossroads Volunteer Fire Department received a call at about 4 p.m. Thursday about a forest fire in a block of woods off Haw Branch Road in Richlands.

Adkins said a group of people were burning piles of Bermuda Hay in a nearby field, and a breeze picked up the burning hay and threw it into the woods. Before he got the call, he was worried because he could see the smoke from the other side of Richlands.

Richlands Volunteer Fire Department and Forestry personnel were called to the scene almost immediately, and Adkins said Forestry planes were at the site within 15 minutes of the call.

Back Swamp, Beulaville, Potter Hill and Rhodestown volunteer fire departments, as well as Onslow County EMS and Onslow County Emergency Management staff responded a short time later, he said.

When firefighters first arrived, the fire had burned about 20 acres and the wind was pushing the flames toward homes in the area. Luckily, Adkins said, the fire shifted and stayed in the block of woods. At 5:45 p.m., Adkins said the fire had grown, but he couldn’t say exactly how many acres were affected.

“Our biggest problem, we were worried about the fire getting into the corn field that’s been harvested,” he said. “Corn, when it’s harvested, burns extremely well.”

He said three fire plows, two bomber planes and two assistant planes were brought in to fight the fire. The planes stopped the fire twice, but the flames rekindled while the planes were reloading at nearby Ellis Airport.

“It’s gone textbook so far,” Adkins said. “We had a real good response for that time of day.”

At around 6 p.m., Onslow County Emergency Services Director Ron Wakeham said the fire had been contained, specifying “contained” is not the same thing as “under control.”

There were no injuries reported by press time Thursday.

North Carolina Forestry Ranger Ricky Adkins said firefighters responded to a call at about 4 p.m. Thursday about a forest fire off Haw Branch Road.

Adkins said a group of people were burning piles of Bermuda Hay in a field and a breeze picked it up and threw it into the woods.

When firefighters first arrived, the wind was taking the fire toward homes, Adkins said. The wind shifted and the fire stayed in the woods.

Adkins said the biggest worry was that the fire would get into a harvested corn field nearby because corn when its harvested burns extremely well.

Shortly before 6 p.m., Ron Wakeham with Onslow County Emergency Management said the fire was contained.

Firefighters from Hargett Crossroads, Richlands, Rhodestown, Potter Hill, Beulaville and Back Swamp volunteer fire departments responded, as well as Onslow County EMS and Onslow County Emergency Management.

Two planes from North Carolina Forestry responded within 15 minutes of the call, Adkins said.

No injuries reported yet.

RICHLANDS — Firefighters are battling a woods fire, emergency officials said.

Six fire departments have responded and forestry personnel are on site, said Norman Bryson, the deputy director of Onslow County Emergency Services and Homeland Security.

“It is too early to tell how bad it is,” he said.

The fire is the woods off of the 100 block of Mayberry Lane, a small road in the woods boxed by Brinson Lane, Alonza Lane, A.I. Taylor Road, Haw Branch Road and Wild Geese Lane.