Man charged in

weekend brush fire
By Melanie Davis
melanie@mountaintimes.com

The Deep Gap Volunteer Fire Department received assistance from a Wilkes County department to control a brush fire on Phillips Drive Saturday afternoon.

The fire was reported to the Watauga County Sheriff’s Office at 4:30 p.m. Members of the Deep Gap fire department and the Forest Service responded to 191 Phillips Drive, just off U.S. 421.

Upon arrival, firefighters discovered heavy smoke and significant flames spreading uphill.

The site had undergone timber harvest approximately three years ago. The remaining debris and thick brush caused the fire to burn quickly.

Deep Gap department had three trucks on scene and 12 firefighters. Chief Mark Parsons requested mutual aid from the Champion fire department in Wilkes County. They responded with one truck and six firefighters.

As water was pumped onto the flames, other department volunteers began digging a fire line to control spreading.

The fire was extinguished by 6:30 p.m. The blaze destroyed one acre of land belonging to Bill Aldridge of 191 Phillips Drive, Deep Gap.

The cause of the blaze was said to be a small, intentional debris fire that was not completely extinguished earlier in the afternoon. Shawn Aldridge, 33, also of 191 Phillips Drive, was charged with letting a fire escape.

The day was not over for firefighters.

As they were returning to their home station, members of the Champion department discovered a vehicle accident on U.S. 421 South just before the Wilkes county line. Members of the Deep Gap fire department responded to the accident directly from the fire.

The departments continued to work together at the accident scene.

A spokesperson for the N.C. Highway Patrol said there were no serious injuries in the collision. The identities of those involved was not available as of press time.