STOKES COUNTY, N.C. — The raging Sauratown mountain wildfire has been quickly growing since it sparked Saturday evening.
The 700-acre fire is creeping up on homes on the mountainside.
Laurel Jones has lived near the mountain for years. She said the fire is threatening a landmark that brings so many to this tight-knit community.
"We're a small community and that mountain is so special to all of us," Jones said. "There's people on all sides of the mountain. There's homes and we enjoy looking at it and seeing it everyday."
A dozen homes have been evacuated.
Firefighters are patrolling nearby Mountain Top Youth Camp and YMCA Camp Hanes.
Conditions have gotten so bad a 10-man crew from Washinton State was called in.
"We have our fair share of rugged terrains, roadless and inaccessible terrain at that," said Jeff Delarosa with the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. "So we're used to being able to get off the road in the rugged area where we can't get water and trucks to."
Delarosa and his team's expertise could be useful.
The North Carolina Forest Service said hand crews are needed to reach terrains bulldozers can't.
"For us, it's all hand tool work, chainsaw work removing that fuel from the line and remove the fuel out in front of the fire to be able to slow that fire and stop it." Delarosa said.
Strong winds and falling burning trees have made it difficult for firefighters to contain the flames.
Brian Brown helped fire the fire when it started Saturday.
"We were up on the mountain and was there most of Saturday night," Brown said.
Not only did Brown help fight the fire, he came back Monday to make a meal for the firefighters.
He owns John Brown's Country Store and Grill in King.
"We were taught to help our neighbors, help our family whether it be fighting a fire or cooking for them," Brown said.
Emergency personnel were grateful for the meal
Volunteer Ashely Mitchell said it was only right she takes time to serve those who serve her.
"I actually had a close connection with Sauratown fire department when they did a controlled burn on my property earlier this summer," Mitchell said. "So just to give back to them its where we need to be,"
The forest service said it expects the fire to spread.
Teams are using helicopters and scout planes to bring water and survey the area.
Firefighters said the fire hasn't destroyed any buildings at this point, and no one's been hurt.
It's not clear what caused the fire.