Party Rock Fire, November 2016 - History by Mike Legeros

Party Rock Fire - November 2016

Massive Mutual Aid to Western North Carolina

Photos by Orange Rural FD and Salisbury FD (second from left)

Last updated Monday, November 28

Introduction
Maps
Photos
Official Information
Detailed Overview
List of Fire Departments and More
Bits 'n' Pieces
Acknowledgements

Introduction

On Friday, November 11, 2016, fire departments around North Carolina were requested to help fight a wildfire in the western part of the state. A blaze had started six days earlier at Chimney Rock State Park. It had grown to over 2,000 acres in size, and was threatening hundreds of structures in nearby communities. The local fire departments of Buncombe, Henderson, and Rutherford counties were already on scene, but more help was needed.

By the end of the weekend, dozens of engines and brush trucks and their crews had arrived at the command post in Lake Lure. The firefighters were told to plan for seven-day deployments. They would provide protection for the structures and assist the forestry crews. Wildland resources were also arriving from across the country, with hand crews and Type 6 engines coming from as far away as Alaska, Florida, and Texas.

The Party Rock Fire continued to grow that week, with its peak size of 7,000 acres by Monday, November 21. By that date, the fire was determined as sufficient contained to begin demobilizing most of the mutual aid structural crews. Over 170 fire departments from around the state had assisted.

This page provides a historical perspective of the incident.

Maps


JPG \| PDF	JPG \| PDF

Photos by Mike Legeros

Photos

Detailed Notes

Originated Saturday, November 5, about 1:00 p.m., in Chimney Rock State Park.

Spread to several hundred acres, and then some thousands of acres, in Rutherford, Henderson, Buncombe counties. Ground fire only, no crown fires/tree tops burning.

Size of fire:

Nov 5-9 – 885 acres
Nov 10 – 1101
Nov 11 – 2616
Nov 12 – 3178
Nov 13 – 3744
Nov 14 – 4421
Nov 21 – 7171

One of several western North Carolina wildfires that occurred at the same time. However, this was the only one managed by the NC Forest Service (NCFS). The others were federally managed.

Fire first fought using local resources: NCFS, Lake Lure FD, Chimney Rock FD, Bill’s Creek FD, Fairfield Mountain FD. Additional local fire departments added in the early days.

As fire grew in size, additional NCFS resources were brought to the scene, along with wildland crews (and forestry resources) from other states, including Alaska, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Minnesota, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, and Virginia.

Due to large number of structures in the area of the fire, additional structural protection assets were requested. The Office of State Fire Marshal contacted dozens of county Emergency Management departments, and requested engine companies and brush trucks.

During the weekend of November 11-12, for example, statewide requests were made for as many as 150+ engines and brush trucks, if available.

Mutual aid crews were deployed with multi-day deployments, from three to seven-days. Sleeping quarters were provided on site, or in the area.

Replacement crews arrived for the mutual aid units on/around November 18. Also on/around that date, some of the mutual aid units were put on 24-hour operation.

Additional support agencies include state and local EM agencies, law enforcement and EMS agencies, NC Baptist Men for canteen service, and others.

The incident command post, base of operations, and primary staging was located in Lake Lure, at the town hall and town park. Additional operational/staging locations are at other points, including other fire departments.

Sleeping quarters were also provided on site, including tents and mobile shelters, as well as local homes, buildings, and the Lake Lure FD.

Helicopter base was Henderson airport. Air tanker base was… same?

Residents and business owners were also evacuated from some areas, including the town of Chimney Rock and areas of Lake Lure. Evacuations started on 11/8, and then were expanded on 11/11. Re-entry began on 11/15 and 11/17, to some areas. All evacuations orders were lifted on 11/21.

Road closures were made on Highway 74 through Lake Lure and Chimney Rock, and Highway 9 north from Bat Cave.

Hand crews, bulldozers, helicopters, and air tankers were utilized. By 11/8, three heavy air tankers (1,500 gallons) were working the fire.

Mutual aid structural firefighters also provided support to wildland crews.

No structures were burned.

Some of the Party Rock firefighters, including the mutual aid crews, were loaned/detailed to other wildfires, notably one in McDowell County that started on November 19.

On Monday, November 21, demobilization orders were issued for many of the mutual aid firefighters. Also at noon on that day, evacuation orders were lifted for all areas.

By that date, over 170 fire departments from over 40 counties in North Carolina had participated.

The Party Rock Fire is believed to have generated the largest mutual aid response in recent decades, and perhaps in its history.

Photos by Mike Legeros

List of Fire Departments and More

By county, not including forestry departments:

Alamance 5 Durham 3 Orange 5

Anson 1 Forsyth 6 Pamlico 1

Beaufort 4 Gaston 1 Pitt 7

Bladen 5 Guilford 7 Polk 1

Brunswick 1 Henderson 13 Randolph 5

Buncombe 13 Hoke 1 Robeson 2

Cabarrus 3 Iredell 7 Rowan 3

Carteret 2 Lee 3 Rutherford 6

Cleveland 2 Lenoir 1 Stanly 3

Craven 1 Lincoln 1 Surry 1

Cumberland 6 Mecklenburg 4 Union 3

Currituck 3 Moore 8 Wake 18

Davidson 3 Nash 2 Wayne 1

Davie 2 New Hanover 3 Yadkin 4

Duplin 3 Onslow 5

Grand 179

By name:

Name County Notes

1 Aberdeen Moore

2 Advance Davie Engine 1203

3 Albemarle Stanly E3 w/four

4 Allen Cabarrus E2, Brush 1, Squad 1 (passenger van)

5 Altamahaw-Ossippe Alamance

6 Apex Wake E22

7 A-RC-H (Arcadia-Reedy Creek-Hampton) Randolph Brush 1133

8 Asheboro Randolph E21

9 Asheville Buncombe E8, Tanker 12

10 Aurora Beaufort Brush 6550

11 Bahama Durham Brush 337 w/two, Squad 319 (pick-up) w/two

12 Barnardsville Buncombe Squad 15

13 Bat Cave Henderson

14 Battleboro Nash Brush w/four

15 Bay Leaf Wake Brush 259

16 Bear Creek/Swansboro Onslow E205

17 Big Marsh Robeson Brush 230

18 Bills Creek Rutherford

19 Black Mountain Buncombe E41

20 Bladenboro Bladen Quint

21 Bladen County FD Bladen

22 Blounts Creek Beaufort Brush 6150

23 Blue Ridge Henderson

24 Broad River Buncombe E22-2, B22

25 Bunyan Beaufort Brush 7350

26 Carolina Mecklenburg #2

27 Carrboro Orange E10

28 Carthage Moore Brush 317 w/four

29 Cary Wake E20, Brush 9

30 Cedar Grove Orange Brush 652

31 Central School Iredell E905

32 Chapel Hill Orange E36, Chief 3

33 Charlotte Mecklenburg Task Force with three engine-tankers (E71, E72, E73), four brush trucks (B5, B29, B31, B33), and a chief (BC23), plus communications assets, NC USAR Task Force 3, for logistics and shelter support

34 Chimney Rock Rutherford

35 Chocowinity Beaufort

36 Clark’s Neck Pitt Brush 2509. See Pitt County

37 Clarkton Bladen Brush 527

38 Climax Guilford B42

39 Concord Cabarrus E7 w/four

40 Courtney Yadkin

41 Cumberland Road Cumberland Brush 541

42 Currituck County FD Currituck Two engines w/eight to ten

43 Cypress Point Moore E243

44 Dana Henderson Engine

45 Deep River Lee

46 Denver Lincoln E14

47 Dudley Wayne Engine

48 Durham Durham Engine 15

49 Durham County FD Durham Brush 83, lettered as Parkwood

50 Durham Highway Wake Brush 6, w/two

51 Eagle Springs Moore

52 East Bend Yadkin Brush 1416

53 East Howellsville Robeson E711

54 East Side Stanly

55 Eastern Wake Wake P1 w/four or five, pick-up

56 Edneyville Henderson

57 Efland Orange Brush 151

58 Elizabethtown Bladen E554

59 E. M. Holt Alamance Brush 97 w/five

60 Etowah Horseshoe Henderson Command 16

61 Elon Alamance Brush 85 w/two

62 Enka Candler Buncombe

63 Fairfield Mountain Rutherford

64 Fairview Buncombe E3-2, E_, tanker, ATV3

65 Farmer Randolph

66 Farmville Pitt Brush 5309

67 Faucette Alamance Utility 77 w/two

68 Fire District 13 Guilford E58

69 Fletcher Henderson

70 Forbush Yadkin

71 Forest City Rutherford

72 Fountain Pitt See Pitt County

73 Franklinville Randolph Brush w/four

74 Fuquay-Varina Wake Personnel

75 Garner Wake Personnel

76 Garren Creek Buncombe E23, ATV 23

77 Gastonia Gaston E5

78 Gerton Henderson

79 Gray’s Creek Cumberland Engine w/four

80 Green Hill Rutherford

81 Green River Henderson

82 Greensboro Guilford E1, plus Special Ops/NCTF6 units assisting with logistics: mobile shower unit, tractor-drawn communications unit, etc.

83 Grimesland Pitt See Pitt County

84 GuilRand Guilford E211

85 Gumtree Forsyth Brush 335

86 Harmony Iredell Brush 448

87 Harrisburg Cabarrus Brush

88 Haw River Alamance Brush 45 w/one

89 Healing Springs Davidson

90 High Falls Moore Squad 12

91 High Point Guilford E1, Brush 1

92 Holly Springs Wake Brush 2, Car 4

93 Horneytown Forsyth Brush 329

94 Hubert Onslow Brush 809

95 Idlewild Mecklenburg Brush 6

96 Jacksonville Onslow E6

97 Jupiter Buncombe Tanker 16

98 Kannapolis Rowan E41 w/four

99 Kernersville Forsyth E45

100 Knightdale Wake Two personnel

101 Lake Lure Rutherford E2515

102 Leland Brunswick E5371

103 Lemon Springs Lee Brush 712

104 Lewisville Forsyth E113

105 Locke Rowan Brush 627

106 Lower Currituck Currituck E2, Brush 2

107 Matthews Mecklenburg Brush 126, Squad 129

108 Midway Davidson Brush 86, w/six total

109 Mills River Henderson

110 Monroe Union E1

111 Morehead City Carteret Brush 2 w/four

112 Mooresville Iredell E3, Brush 1

113 Morrisville Wake Brush 3

114 Mountain Home Henderson

115 Moyock Currituck

116 New Hanover County FD New Hanover E97

117 North Lenoir Lenoir E11 w/five

118 Norwood Center Stanly B566 w/four

119 Number 3 Cleveland Brush

120 Number 7 Township Craven Brush w/four

121 Orange Rural Orange E231, plus Asst. Chief and Deputy Chief

122 Pinecroft-Sedgefield Guilford E24, E25

123 Pinehill Surry

124 Pinehurst Moore See Aberdeen

125 Piney Green Onslow E1106

126 Pleasant Grove Duplin Brush w/three

127 Pumpkin Center Onslow

128 Puppy Creek Hoke Brush 39

129 Raleigh Wake Mini 2 (brush) w/eight, plus commercial bus and passenger van

130 Red Oak Pitt Squad 5110 (QRV), w/two

131 Reelsboro Pamlico Engine

132 Reems Creek-Beaverdam District Buncombe Tanker 17

133 Reems Creek Buncombe E14-2

134 Reynolds Buncombe E9-3, Brush 9

135 Rolesville Wake Personnel

136 Rocky Mount Nash E22

137 Salisbury Rowan E2 w/four

138 Saluda Henderson E23-2

139 Shelby Cleveland E32 w/four

140 Shepherds Iredell E3

141 Simpson Pitt E3207. See Pitt County

142 Skyland Buncombe E21-5, Car 21-1

143 South Iredell Iredell

144 Southern Pines Moore See Aberdeen

145 Southmont Davidson E56

146 Spring Lake Cumberland

147 Statesville Iredell

148 Stony Hill Wake P395

149 Stoney Point Cumberland E1333

150 Summerfield Guilford

151 Tabernacle Randolph Brush 187, Special Service 289, w/four total

152 Tramway Lee Brush 210

153 Troutman Iredell

154 Tryon Polk E3

155 Unionville Union

156 Valley Hill Henderson

157 Vienna Forsyth Brush 321

158 Wadesboro Anson Brush 618

159 Wake Forest Wake E1, Brush 3, personnel van

160 Wake-New Hope Wake Personnel

161 Wallace Duplin Personnel, one FF riding with Warsaw

162 Warsaw Duplin Engine w/three

163 Wendell Wake Brush 114

164 Westarea Cumberland

165 West Buncombe Buncombe Brush 5-2

166 Westarea Cumberland E2031

167 West End Moore Brush

168 Western Carteret Carteret E3, Brush 1, Utility 1

169 Western Wake Wake Brush 299

170 White Lake Bladen Engine

171 William R. Davie Davie E1703

172 Wilmington New Hanover E13, two brush trucks

173 Wingate Union

174 Winston-Salem Forsyth Special response unit S842 w/four

175 Winterville Pitt Brush 1509, w/three

176 Wrightsville Beach New Hanover E82

177 Yadkinville Yadkin

178 Valley Hill Henderson

179 Zebulon Wake Brush 99 w/two

Plus:

Buncombe County FMO
Buncombe County FDs – Numerous chief officers
Lenoir County – About 11 personnel from several FDs and OFM
Moore County - Two engines w/eight people
Pamlico County strike team – Four engines
Pitt County – Six departments and thirteen FFs. Three brush trucks, plus QRV
Wake County - Fifty-seven FFs, deployed on Saturday, November 18

Plus:

State forestry crews from NC, VA, and other locations.
US Forest Service units from NM, AZ, etc.

Plus wildland units and crews from outside North Carolina, such as:

Black Timber Wildland Services – Queen Creek, AZ
Daisy Mountain + Peoria + Surprise, AZ – Brush w/two
Chihuahua Fire Engines – Ruidoso, NM
Eagles Engines – Mescalero, NM
Golden Valley, AZ
Harquahala Fire District – Tonopah, AZ
L&A Wildfire – Sante Fe, NM
North County Fire & Medical – Sun City, AZ
Palominas Fire District – Hereford, AZ
Shiloh, NM
Summit FD – Flagstaff, AZ
Sundance (state?)
Superstition, AZ
Taos Pueblo, NM
Taylor-Snowflake Fire & Medical – Taylor, AZ
Three Points Fire District – Tucson, AZ
Timber Mesa, AZ
Wildfire Support Team – Santa Fe, NM

Plus numerous support agencies, such as:

Rutherford County EM
NC Emergency Management
NC HART – One helo
NC OSFM
NC USAR Task Force 2 (Buncombe) – Various fire/rescue agencies.
NC USAR Task Force 3 (Mecklenburg) – Charlotte FD, see above
NC USAR Task Force 6 (Guilford) – Greensboro FD, see above
Various EM agencies from other counties around NC.

This list was previously located on this blog post.

Bits 'n' Pieces

From Orange Rural FD, about the hose they used and supplied:

Working with the Alaska and Oregon crews, we had over 2000 feet of supply line on the ground. Used 1.5" line as supply from drop tank. Gated wyes inline with 1" lateral lines along the way with forestry nozzles. The wildland crews carried 5/8" lines in their packs they called "toy hose" to extend the lateral hand lines if needed. Pumping off a three-stage Mark 3 pump and 500' elevation.

Resource snapshot on November 18 3:00 p.m.

Overheard/support – 130 people
Eighteen wildland crews – 234 people from FL, ID, CA, NC, MT, AK, NC State Parks, NC Wildlife, NCFS, VA State Parks
Six Type 3 dozers
One Type 4 dozer
One Type 4 engine
Five Type 6 engine – NCFS
One Type 6 engine – NCWRC
One Type 6 engine – NC State Parks
Thirty-nine Type 6 engines – Out of state
Two fuel tenders
People attached to equipment – 134
Plus fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters
Total 502 people not including EM and fire department(s)
Different states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, MT, NC, [missing], VA, WA
Agencies: NCFS, NC State Parks, NC Wildlife, [missing], ____ Commission, BIA, BLM, National Parks Service, [missing], and Native American Tribes

Excepts from Incident Action Plan on November 18:

Command sections and selected assets:

Planning
- Resources
- Situation
  - GIS
  - Field Observations
  - Fire Behavior
  - IMET
- Demobilization
- Documentation
Logistics
- Supply
- Ground Support
- Facilities
- Food
- Medical
- Communications
Finance
- Procurement
- Time
- Cost
Operations (Wildland)
- Branch I
  - Romeo, Sierra, Zulu
    - Strike team w/two wildland engines, w/four
    - Dozer w/two
  - Tango, Whiskey
    - Strike team w/four wildland engines, w/13
  - Uniform
    - Three hand crews w/16
    - Strike team w/four wildland engines, w/17
    - Two support personnel (line medics)
  - Victor
    - Three hand crews w/31
    - Two support personnel (line medics)
- Branch II
  - Hotel, Indigo, Lima
    - Hand crew w/six
    - Engine w/two
  - Mike, Papa
    - Four hand crews w/79
    - Three dozers w/seven
    - Two support personnel (structural specialist, line medic)
    - Strike team with four wildland engines, w/14
    - Strike team with five wildland engines, w/17
  - Oscar
    - Hand crew w/13
  - Quebec
    - Two hand crews w/28
    - Task force w/three wildland engines, w/7
    - Strike team w/five wildland engines, w/14
Night Operations
- Three hand crews w/60
- Strike team w/four wildland engines, w/five
- Strike team w/one wildland engine, w/one
- Support personnel:
  - Five Division monitors
  - Two Safety Officers
  - Two Line Medics
Structural Protection
- Chimney Rock
  - Strike Team 9, w/three brush, w/six
  - Five brush, w/nine
- Fairfield
  - Task Force 1, w/two engines, two brush, two squads, w/22
  - Task Force 2, w/four engines, brush, w/20
  - Task Force 3, w/two engines, three brush, tanker, w/23
  - Task Force 4, w/three engine, four brush, w/20
  - Task Force 17, w/three engines, w/17
  - Task Force, w/three brush, w/7
  - Strike Team 5, w/four engine, one quint, five brush, w/32
  - Strike Team 8, w/five engine, w/26
  - Strike Team, w/five brush, w/10
  - Plus two engines, w/four
- Schumont
  - Strike Team 10, w/four engines, w/16
  - Strike Team 11, w/three engines, w/11
  - Strike Team 12, w/five brush, w/10
  - Strike Team 13, w/five brush, w/12
  - Strike Team 14, w/five brush, w/10
  - Plus eight brush trucks, w/15
  - Plus four engines, w/18
- Bat Cave
  - Strike Team 6, w/four brush, w/nine
  - Strike Team 7, w/four engines, four brush, w/25
  - Strike Team 9, w/four engines, w/16
Air Operations
- Three helicopters
- Tankers
- Spotter plane
- Water drops as requested

On the overhead team for the Structural Protection branch were representatives from:

Cary FD
Greensboro FD
Gates County EM
Granville County EM
Hertford County EM
New Hanover County Sherriff's Office
New Hanover County EM
North Carolina EM
Wake County EMS
Wilson County EM

Acknowledgements

Thanks to a ton of people who assisted with information about this fire, and access and hospitality at the command post and incident sites. The public information officers were particularly helpful, during a visit on November 18-19.

Thank you also to the many fire service members who added and corrected data, during our social media conversations about the incident. This historical perspective was a true team effort!