Wind gusts liable to worsen North Carolina wildfires

Wind gusts that are to precede the cold front that is forecast to sweep across western North Carolina late tonight are a concern to the fire fighters who are battling wildfires, at least two of which are near Highlands. Isolated showers are possible ahead of the cold front, but rainfall will be limited to a few hundredths at the most. Just ahead of the front winds from the west will increase to 10 – 15 mph with gusts of 20 mph possible. West winds are expected to start increasing as early at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday. Once the cold front passes, winds will shift out of the northwest and speeds will increase. Ridge-top wind gusts of 25 – 30 mph will be possible Wednesday morning. Northwest winds will develop as early as 4:00 a.m. Wednesday. Strong winds will create “very active fire behavior” according to incident fire behavior analyst Bruce Davenport. They will also increase the chance of fires spotting across containment lines, especially at higher elevations. Affected residents should take precautions such as moving flammable materials like wood or debris piles away from your home or propane tanks. Sweep, rake or blow dead leaves off roofs and decks and away from structures.