News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture and other Upper Cumberland fire crews are fighting a 1,000 acre wildfire in central Fentress County.
Tim Phelps is the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division Public Information Officer. Phelps said the fire was 85 percent contained and in a remote area southwest of Jamestown.
“Through the afternoon crews have been working to reinforce containment lines that were either started and built last night or continued to be built today,” Phelps said. “Many of those lines that we’re working to connect with each other. As they were doing that, it increases our containment level.”
This was a 50 percent containment increase, the wildfire was reported earlier on Wednesday at 35 percent contained. Phelps said there are no structures in the area.
“Crews will be working tonight to work that bottom edge of the creek there,” Phelps said. “I think it’s Rockcastle Creek at the bottom edge of the large hill where the fire has been slowly creeping down.”
Phelps said the wildfire started uphill, in difficult terrain to combat the fire. Luckily, he said the fire making its way downhill creates a better situation for fighting the wildfire.
EMA Director James Bilbrey said Fentress County Fire was the initial attack crew, responding after 6:00 PM on Tuesday. Bilbrey said that Forestry Division crews had to first assist due to the location of the fire.
Bilbrey said bulldozers were needed to access the location. Multiple Upper Cumberland fire crews are currently staging additional resources and manpower.
Phelps said there were concerns of heavy smoke in Jamestown but the cold inversion lifted. However, Phelps said the cold inversion could re-form and cause heavy smoke issues for Jamestown.
