GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — The southern Appalachian wildfires have been burning for weeks, taking out thousands of acres of land and leaving a long-term impact and a long road to recovery for the forest.
“The acreages that are being burned right now have not burned in this part of the world in a long time,” assistant district state forester Matt Barker said.
The intense drought, which shows no sign of letting up, is to blame.
Barker he's been watching drought conditions for weeks and is concerned by what he's seeing.
“The fires around here are consuming thousands of acres,” Barker said. “Whereas (in) many other years, these fires would have consumed hundreds of acres.”
The Forest Service is keeping an eye on rain that is important in the recovery of the ecosystem. After the fires are out, crews will rehab the area to prevent erosion.
There is no rain in the foreseeable future.
Cox Media Group
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