CANDLER, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A brush fire spread from the roadside into the woods along Interstate 40 West near the Buncombe/Haywood County line on Wednesday afternoon, backing up traffic for miles as firefighters worked to stop the flames.
The fire was reported shortly before 2 p.m. Oct. 21 near mile marker 38.6, close to North Luther Road.
Flames burned through the grassy area beside the interstate and into the wooded hillside above the highway.
Emergency radio traffic captured by the CrimeRadar app indicated the fire was moving west and southwest as winds shifted. Firefighters discussed getting water on the leading edge of the flames and requested two additional brush crews to help battle the fire.
Fire engines and water tankers lined the westbound shoulder as smoke rose from the blackened hillside.
Westbound traffic was backed up beyond Exit 44. The drive from that exit to the fire scene took about an hour Wednesday afternoon.
The fire broke out as dry conditions persisted across Western North Carolina. The National Weather Service office in Greenville-Spartanburg said no rain is expected over the next seven days, offering little relief from the region’s drought conditions.
There was no immediate word on what started the fire, how much land burned or whether anyone was injured.