A controlled burn that grew larger than planned required approximately 500,000 gallons of water to douse the flames Monday. Six volunteer fire departments were dispatched mid-afternoon Monday to Church & Church Lumber Yard in Hampton.

“It began as a controlled burn, but got into their mulch and sawdust piles,” Hampton Volunteer Fire Department Chief Johnny Isaacs said. “It was real close to a couple of buildings.”

The fire departments responded to what dispatchers called an “out of control controlled burn.” Though it appeared contained in two large piles of mulch and other organic debris, Isaacs said the flames smolder inside the piles, making it difficult to control and extinguish.

“It’s piled up so deep, we can’t dig in to get to it,” Isaacs said. “So we have to use big diameter hoses to get into it to put the fire out.”

The fire posed a threat to a couple of nearby buildings, but Isaacs said it was not threatening to nearby woods.

Isaacs said Monday afternoon he expected they would use approximately 500,000 gallons of water to penetrate and extinguish the smoldering piles.

For this reason, numerous volunteer fire departments were dispatched to the scene including Hampton, Central, Roan Mountain, Watauga, West Carter and Stoney Creek.

Isaacs said he expected the fire to be out by sundown.