RICHMOND COUNTY — Richmond County has experienced an increase in fires over the past week, including one behind Rockingham Speedway, according to officials.
On Sunday, a fire occurred on Cognac Road, which connects U.S. 1 to N.C. 177 and runs behind the speedway. The fire began as a prescribed burn, according to Ranger Brandon Van Buren with the N.C. Forest Service.
“There’s a track back there that was cut over and had been chemically treated. A consultant went out there and did what they call a psych prep burn. During the night of Sunday, like 4:30 in the morning, it had jumped where they did intend to burn, but not at that time,” said Van Buren. “The fire was contained initially, just burning in the rest of the cutover, but throughout the day with high winds, low humidity, and other contributing factors, it jumped the line in several places.”
Van Buren said additional prescribed burns on McBride and Derby roads also crossed containment lines.
The ranger advised Richmond County residents to avoid burning at this time due to current conditions.
“We’re fixing to go into fire season here pretty soon. If it stays like this and we don’t get a significant amount of rain, it’s going to be bad. I would discourage any type of burning,” said Van Buren.
Additional fires were reported southeast of the county between Marks Creek Church Road and Gum Swamp Road, where two fires burned a combined 225 acres. Van Buren said the cause of those fires remains under investigation.
According to the N.C. Forest Service, approximately five fires occurred Sunday in Richmond County and 39 across the district, which includes Anson, Chatham, Lee, Moore, Montgomery, Scotland and Stanly counties.
Hamlet Fire Rescue also took to social media to urge residents to refrain from burning.
“Residents and passerby’s near Boyd Lake Rd, Marks Creek Church Rd, Gum Swamp Rd, Hwy 381 & Grace Chapel Church Rd be mindful that both fires will continue to burn through out the night and days to come. Please avoid the active burning areas and call 911 if you notice that the fire is on the outside of the line the Forest Service pushed around it! Please be mindful to not burn while it is windy and dry outside! We will soon be approaching forest fire season and as Smokey Bear says “Only you can prevent wildfires.””
In a separate incident last Wednesday on the west side of Hamlet, officials reported that a vehicle was driven while dragging a trailer without a tire along Freeman Mill Road and Battley Dairy Road. Authorities said the exposed rim sent sparks onto the roadway, resulting in 10 fires—five on Freeman Mill Road and five on Battley Dairy Road.