Firefighters with the Cherokee National Forest and the State fought an uphill battle against a wildfire all day Saturday at Halls Top in Cocke County, with days of low humidity, dry conditions, and high wind gusts working against them.
Forest Service and Tennessee State Firefighters were on the scene soon after smoke was reported, and a brush fire was confirmed by Cocke County Volunteer Fire Departments between 4:00 and 6:00 Saturday morning. The estimated size of the brush fire at that time was 5 acres.
The fire is fully on the Cherokee National Forest, in the area of Forest Service Road #207. The fire grew to around 225 acres by Saturday evening due to high winds, which resulted in very little containment by Saturday night. The heavy rains will no doubt help their efforts.
Per a post from Grassy Fork Volunteer Fire and Rescue on Facebook, Grassy Fork was dispatched to a report of a fire by a resident of Long Branch Road around 4:00 AM Saturday. They were assisted by Cosby and Del Rio Volunteer Fire Departments, as well as Cocke County Fire and the Cocke County Sheriff’s Office. No structures were reported as threatened.
According to a Cherokee National Forest Press Release, the Halls Top Fire has been named the Bear Fire. FS-Road #207 is closed until further notice, due to increased traffic associated with the fire. Around 50 firefighters, with two engines and three bulldozers, have assisted in battling the blaze, which will continue today.
