SUMMERFIELD, N.C. (WGHP) — Summerfield firefighters are in the thick of fighting the Poplar Drive fire in Henderson County alongside firefighters from all over the state.
Summerfield joined the fight after the state fire marshal sent out an all-call for more manpower.
The fire spread to roughly 400 acres in the past week, burning a home, two cabins and injuring two firefighters.
Joshua Conaway is one of a handful of Summerfield firefighters who signed up to go help fight the fire in Edneyville about 200 miles from home. He headed up there on Monday to make sure it didn’t keep spreading.
“We immediately went out to where the fire originally started which was out here on Green Mountain Road out here,” Conaway said after his shift Thursday afternoon via Facetime.
“A few of us guys actually went up on the mountain. We were mainly water supply, but they needed more crew members on the mountain to help with some of the fire suppression, blowing the leaves, getting the leaves away from the structures … In case something else were to ignite, we’ve got that safety barrier,” he said.
The Poplar Drive fire spanned 413 acres over the weekend in Henderson County. It s one of six fires across
“Conditions have been very dry, and with the lack of rain, it’s just getting worse,” Summerfield Assistant Fire Chief Jenna Daniels said.
Summerfield’s assistant fire chief says regardless of if your county is under an official burn ban, don’t take any unnecessary risks.
“We are strongly discourage any outdoor burning right now,” Daniels said.
Conaway says dry leaves make perfect kindling and spread fire quickly.
“My main thing right now is don’t burn any leaves,” he said.
Conaway, a third generation firefighter, says he knows the risks of fighting big fires, but he couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
“It is a wonderful thing to get to do it and be able to help people not only back home but here in Edneyville as well,” he said.
The Summerfield firefighters head home Friday.
