Three brush fires

reported over weekend
By Melanie Marshall

Firefighters in Watauga County were kept busy over the weekend with small brush fires.

Three fires damaged a total of nearly three acres.

The first fire was reported at 11:55 a.m. Saturday on Winterberry Trail in the Foscoe community. Matt Aldridge, assistance fire chief for Foscoe Volunteer Fire Department, said a person was burning a brush pile when the fire escaped his/her control.

The identity of the person involved was not released. The fire burned approximately one half acre and was fully contained by members of the Foscoe department.

The person who started the brush fire was not cited in the incident.

A second escaped fire was reported at approximately 6 p.m. at 212 Milton Moretz Road.

The Meat Camp Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene. An additional tanker truck was requested and sent from the Boone Fire Department.

The blaze damaged two wooded acres. Crews were on scene for an estimated three hours to fully extinguish the fire.

The flames threatened a home in the adjoining River Ridge development, but firefighters were about to contain the fire before it reached a structure.

Gregory Scott Rutledge, 42, of 363 Milton Moretz Road, Boone, was charged with burning without a permit and allowing a fire to escape by Rudy Johnson, a forest ranger for the N.C. Forest Service.

The Stewart Simmons Volunteer Fire Department was called out Sunday afternoon at approximately 2:25 p.m.

A fire damaged one fourth of an acre on of Stardance Trail, off Wes Randall Road in the Deep Gap area.

Stewart Simmons firefighters were able to contain the blaze and remained on scene an estimated one and a half hours to ensure the fire was fully extinguished.

Joe Robert Weaver, 57, of 151 Stardance Trail, Deep Gap, was charged with burning without a permit and allowing a fire to escape.

There were no injuries reported or any structures damaged over the course of the three fires.

Watauga County fire marshal Steve Sudderth reminds residents that it is spring fire season.

Leaves and dead vegetation have been on the ground all winter.

Until the new vegetation grows, the dry leaves can cause a fire to spread quickly.

He advises people to obtain a burning permit, check with the local fire department or the fire marshal’s office to determine burn conditions, and keep a water hose or fire extinguisher nearby when burning a debris pile.