ROCKINGHAM — Forestry and fire crews were busy Sunday battling wildfires across Richmond County that burned more than 260 acres.
One of the most visible fires was on Cognac Road, which connects U.S. 1 to N.C. 177 and runs behind Rockingham Speedway.
The fire started as a prescribed burn, but wound up getting out of control five times since Jan. 9, according to Ranger Brandon Van Buren with the N.C. Forest Service. Signs had been put out warning drivers of low visibility earlier in the week.
The low relative humidity and high winds — sustained 12-15 mph with gusts up to 30 mph — contributed to burning conditions, Van Buren said.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office had both sides of Cognac Road blocked to traffic Sunday afternoon as crews worked to contain the blaze.
Van Buren said Monday that although that fire was contained, burning about 27 acres, crews were still taking preventative measures to keep it from jumping containment lines.
Just to the southeast, a pair of fires burned about 225 acres in the block between Marks Creek Church Road and Gum Swamp Road, north of Hamlet.
The ranger said that fire is still smoldering but is contained. The cause is still under investigation.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, another fire burned about 6 acres on Jones Brown Lane south of Hamlet. According to Van Buren, it started when a burn barrel was left unattended.
On McBride Road in the Derby area, another prescribed burn that jumped containment lines scorched about 10 acres, according to the ranger.
Local fire departments — including Hoffman, Derby, Northside and Hamlet — helped the NCFS contain the fires.
Van Buren said there were 39 fires Jan. 11 in District 3, which also includes Anson, Chatham, Lee, Moore, Montgomery, Scotland and Stanly counties.
NCFS officials warn that careless debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires.
With a lack of recent significant rainfall and none within the next week in the National Weather Service forecast, Van Buren encourages residents to “refrain from burning during these conditions.”
