STOKES COUNTY, N.C. — As of Saturday night, and after completion of more accurate mapping, the Sauratown Mountain fire is estimated to be 805 acres in size and 79% contained.
After Sunday, all out-of-state resources will be sent home. The only crews that will be left on the mountain will be North Carolina crews, according to officials.
Crews have safely completed snagging and tree-felling operations along the fire's northern perimeter near and around Mountain Top Youth Camp. Crews will continue to monitor the area.
There have been no injuries, crews have determined that one primary structure and one outbuilding sustained minor fire-related damage.
On Wednesday, the conditions on Sauratown Mountain look "dramatically" different, according to the North Carolina Forest Service.
Nearly 100 firefighters continue to battle the fire on the mountain. About two inches of rain in Stokes County helped conditions overnight.
Gov. Roy Cooper visited the Sauratown Volunteer Fire Department in King, NC on Wednesday, where he thanked firefighters and first responders for all their efforts in battling the fire.
Here's the latest on the Sauratown Mountain fire, including a fire map, conditions, and the state of emergency.
Sauratown Mountain Fire Map
Crews are heavily watching Divisions B and C. Those perimeters are outlined in red because fire officials say they have the greatest probability of flaring up again.
Latest Conditions and What's Next
Out of 833 acres the fire is now 69% containment but may see improvement later Wednesday, officials said.
On the underside of Division C, there is still some uncontained fire. Crews are creating fire lines there on Wednesday. They have a good control line, so if any brush begins to flare up again, they'll be able to keep it from spreading.
Officials said they should be able to start sending crews home within the next 24-48 hours, as long as conditions improve.
There are still active flames on the mountain, and a drone is being used to find areas that need more work.
If another fire happens within the next few years, suppression efforts done for this fire will help fight any future fires.
Below is a look at the very smoky conditions on Wednesday on the mountain.
State of Emergency
A state of emergency is in effect for several North Carolina counties due to wildfires. Gov. Cooper recently expanded the state of emergency to Piedmont Triad counties, including Guilford, Forsyth, Davidson, Randolph, Rockingham, and more.
“The expanded state of emergency will continue to extend support to local jurisdictions and partner agencies impacted by the ongoing wildfires with the resources they need,” said Will Ray, Director of North Carolina Emergency Management.
Gov. Cooper shared more on the state of emergency during a briefing Wednesday at the Sauratown Volunteer Fire Department.
