Roan Mountain fires under investigation

Published 8:06 am Friday, December 1, 2017

With weekend fires in the Roan Mountain community now contained, officials are now going through the process of determining a cause.

Tennessee Division of Forestry Officer James Heaton confirmed with the Elizabethton Star Wednesday that fires within the affected area are now contained and that that an investigation by the state service is now underway.

A representative Tennessee Department of Agriculture Crime Unit confirmed late Wednesday afternoon that the investigation is now underway and that updates with be made available once all evidence has been compiled and researched.

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Forestry service works and local fire departments spent the week containing three fires, which burned other several acres of land but did not result in any structures being burned or any reported injuries. Nearly 80 acres were burned due to the flames in the areas of Hague Hollow and Blevins Road.

Heaton added that fires have been contained in the region and that reports of smoke from citizens Wednesday were from a controlled burn near the border between Carter and Unicoi Counties.

Forestry officials also scheduled a controlled burn for Walnut Mountain Thursday, which was anticipated to reach over 200 acres.

While there may be small amounts of residual smoke from the affected area, rain in the forecast is expecting to help rid the area of remaining pockets.