Roan Mountain fire contained; dry conditions persist

From Staff Reports

   State and local firefighters continued Tuesday to battle a forest fire in the Tiger Creek section of Roan Mountain where more than 100 acres have been charred.
   According to U.S. Forest Service officials, firefighters were called out around 5:30 a.m. Monday to the area of Peters Cemetery and worked into the night, digging miles of fire lines to help contain the blaze while a helicopter under contract to the forest service was called in to make water drops from Ripshin Lake.
   The helicopter returned Tuesday morning to assist fire crews but left around noon to help out in other areas of the state.
   Cody Field, a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service, said late Tuesday afternoon that the Fort Pek crew with the Bureau of Indian Affairs had been deployed early Tuesday to help battle the blaze.
   "They've got a good handle on it right now," he said. "We've just got a hand line in combination with a dozer line."
   Around 2 p.m., firefighters also were battling a blaze in the Flag Pond area, where an estimated 8 to 10 acres already had burned.
   The Cherokee Hot Shots were called to Clarks Creek near Greeneville to help contain a fire there.
   Dry conditions continue to persist and outdoor burning has been suspended temporarily.