Wildfire closes trails, road near Linville Gorge

NEBO – A wildfire in Pisgah National Forest near Linville Gorge has forced the closure of a U.S. Forest Service road and two trails.

The fire in the Burke County portion of the national forest, east of Shortoff Mountain, has burned about 100 acres since it was reported Saturday afternoon, Forest Service spokesman Matt McCombs said.

Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, which has been named the Blue Gravel wildfire, he said.

Temporarily closed are Back Irish Creek Road (Forest Service road 118, also known as the Blue Gravel Road), the Shortoff Trail and the Mountains To Sea Trail from the Pinnacles trailhead to the Table Rock Picnic Area.

McCombs said the fire is "moving slowly and forecast precipitation could aid firefighting efforts."

More than 70 firefighters from the U.S. Forest Service, N.C. Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, and local volunteer fire departments have been working to contain the fire.

"The wildfire is burning in an area where wildfires have frequently occurred, allowing the use of previously established containment lines," McCombs said. "These lines were successful in achieving containment in the past, and use of them will likely allow firefighters to minimize disturbance within the wilderness area."