Fire!!

[dhagan]

Good morning everyone.
There is a wildfire just north of Bulls Gap Trail Head located off highway 148. Due to safety concerns we are temporarily closing the Pinhoti National Recreation Trail from Bulls Gap north to Porters Gap (off highway 77). We have fire crews in route to help contain the fire. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. I will keep everyone updated when we reopen the trail section.
USFS

[Ayezeus]

Has this trail section been reopened yet?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[dhagan]

Yes!



Callie Thornton

March 11 at 10:40am · Stapleton







The Forest Service has re- opened the Pinhoti Trail from Bulls Gap to Porters Gap.

[Secondmouse]

when I was there about a month ago they had just finished with some controlled burns further north. any idea how this started?..

[rocketsocks]

Fires are really bad if your a hammock'r

[dhagan]

when I was there about a month ago they had just finished with some controlled burns further north. any idea how this started?..

I havent heard how it started....

[Matt65]

Forest Service closes trails for wildfire in Cheaha Wilderness

By Kirsten Fiscus, Star Staff Writer,[email protected] Updated 42 minutes ago

U.S. Forest Service crews continued Tuesday to fight a wildfire, which closed two trails and a road, in the south portion of the Cheaha Wilderness, according to officials.

The High Falls Trailhead, National Forest System Road 650 and portions of the Odum Trail are closed as a team from Asheville, N.C., and Talladega National Forest employees attempt to put out the estimated 154-acre fire, said Michael Heard, forest fire management officer.

“It is still relatively small,” Heard said by phone Tuesday. “It is just difficult because of its location and terrain.”

Heard said the the fire management office spotted the smoke Sunday around 3:30 p.m. and reported it.

“It is still under investigation as to what caused it,” he said.

A news release sent by the Forest Service stated crews were using “minimum impact suppression tactics” with the natural topography to manage the wildfire.

“They are using existing trails and streams to create fire lines,” Heard said, referring to boundaries that keep the fire from growing.

While Heard said there’s no threat to homes, the release advised residents near the fire to stay indoors, avoid exercising outside and limit driving.

“As nightfall occurs and temperatures fall, smoke may settle in the Campbell Springs, Pyriton, Highland and Nubbin Creek areas,” the release wrote.

Heard said he hopes to have the wildfire extinguished by Thursday.

“We’re supposed to have a good bit of rain Thursday,” he said. “That should help. However, it could go another week if not.”

Staff writer Kirsten Fiscus: 256-235-3563. On Twitter @kfiscus_star

http://m.annistonstar.com/news/fores....html?mode=jqm

[Matt65]

[Matt65]

[Matt65]

What's Closed:

[Matt65]

Official update from the Forest Service. Apparently the Caney Head wildfire is now 100% contained, as a result of burnout operations.

A 867-acre wildfire continues to burn in the Cheaha Wilderness of the Talladega National Forest as of March 24. U.S. Forest Service fire personnel were able to complete all burnout operations within the control lines. Smoke from the burnout went North and Northwest toward Oxford, AL. All trails in the Cheaha Wilderness are now open except the Odum Scout Trail and the southern section of the Nubbin Creek Trail (from the junction of the Cave Creek Trail to the Odum Scout Trail). The public living near the Cheaha Wilderness may still see some smoke and Forest Service personnel. Hikers can identify open trails in the forest by checking the Forest Service website, bulletin boards, Facebook and Twitter for a listing of open trails and status updates. The safety of the public and wildland firefighters is our number one priority.

www.fs.usda.gov/goto/al/CaneyFire

[clusterone]

FYI - Did section 10 over the weekend (Burns to Pine Glen), second time. What a beautiful section, be it rather easy. Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that from Laurel Shelter almost to Pine Glen is burnt clean. I assume this was not a controlled burn, but not certain. In fact it is still smoldering in many areas. For those familiar with the area, even the large peninsula at SweetWater Lake was burnt clean to the top.
Side note- anyone familiar with possible burial grounds on this section (just off the trail)? Found several substantial rock piles spaced out fairly evenly. I don’t want to say specifically where, as I am sure some punk will mess with them. Speaking of punks… can those that write “I was here…” and include their last names not be found and at least fined if not flogged? Sorry for the rant, just so sad to see what has happened at the Shoals Creek Church and many other areas.

[xMagnolia]

Thanks for the update.
Charlotte

[AO2134]

FYI - Did section 10 over the weekend (Burns to Pine Glen), second time. What a beautiful section, be it rather easy. Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that from Laurel Shelter almost to Pine Glen is burnt clean. I assume this was not a controlled burn, but not certain. In fact it is still smoldering in many areas. For those familiar with the area, even the large peninsula at SweetWater Lake was burnt clean to the top.
Side note- anyone familiar with possible burial grounds on this section (just off the trail)? Found several substantial rock piles spaced out fairly evenly. I don’t want to say specifically where, as I am sure some punk will mess with them. Speaking of punks… can those that write “I was here…” and include their last names not be found and at least fined if not flogged? Sorry for the rant, just so sad to see what has happened at the Shoals Creek Church and many other areas.

That is sad to hear. That is my next section. Thanks for the update.

[golfjhm]

Might not be wildfire. Did Swetwater to Burns in Nov and much of area between SW and Shoal Creek Church had been recently clear cut so likely planned. Made following trail difficult. Not ideal if started by careless campfire but fire is natures way of healing itself.

[Secondmouse]

FYI - Did section 10 over the weekend (Burns to Pine Glen), second time. What a beautiful section, be it rather easy. Anyway, just wanted to let everyone know that from Laurel Shelter almost to Pine Glen is burnt clean. I assume this was not a controlled burn, but not certain. In fact it is still smoldering in many areas. For those familiar with the area, even the large peninsula at SweetWater Lake was burnt clean to the top.
Side note- anyone familiar with possible burial grounds on this section (just off the trail)? Found several substantial rock piles spaced out fairly evenly. I don’t want to say specifically where, as I am sure some punk will mess with them. Speaking of punks… can those that write “I was here…” and include their last names not be found and at least fined if not flogged? Sorry for the rant, just so sad to see what has happened at the Shoals Creek Church and many other areas.

wow, I was on that section just at the end of Feb and there was a controlled burn just before then. are you sure it was a recent fire?

btw, I spent a rainy/lightning and thunder night at Lower Shoals shelter. anybody catch my entry in the shelter register?

[Matt65]

wow, I was on that section just at the end of Feb and there was a controlled burn just before then. are you sure it was a recent fire?

Yeah, this is a picture near Sweetwater taken on 4/7/16 while it was burning. It was under control at the time, but could have started as an escaped campfire/arson I suppose.

[Matt65]

Yeah, this is a picture near Sweetwater taken on 4/7/16 while it was burning. It was under control at the time, but could have started as an escaped campfire/arson I suppose.

Correction...4/8/16

[Secondmouse]

wow, that looks like a recent fire! but whether it was a wildfire or a controlled burn the end result is the same - it clears the understory and makes room for good things to grow. and it makes it so a future fire won't jump up into the trees and become a devastating forest fire.

it does stink to be in that area for quite awhile after though, so I think I'll push my section hike to the GA side this spring. thanks for the warning...

[SWODaddy]

Yeah, this is a picture near Sweetwater taken on 4/7/16 while it was burning. It was under control at the time, but could have started as an escaped campfire/arson I suppose.

That was a controlled burn IIRC.