TYRRELL COUNTY, N.C. — The North Carolina Forest Service has been battling a wildfire in Tyrrell County near Creswell since March 24.

What You Need To Know

  • A wildfire broke out near Creswell March 24

  • The fire was caused by debris burning that escaped containment

  • It has reached over 5,000 acres

Officials said Sunday that the fire is now 56% contained and burned 5,280 acres.

N.C. Forest Service Public Information Officer Philip Jackson said the cause of the fire was "debris burned on private land that escaped containment.”

Smoke from the fire caused visibility issues throughout the week, even causing schools in the area to delay because of the low visibility last Monday. 

Officials said Sunday a drone identified hot spots near Western Road. And they were using irrigation systems to reduce smoke and protect the organic peat soils. 

“[There are] 72 resources on the fire, and those are configured in in various grouping of strike teams and task forces,” said Casey Jones, fire resource manager with U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

Jones said this time of year is prime for fires like this.

"We’re in the spring of the year and as plants begin to grow they take up a lot of water. So that’s why we see an increase of fire activity in the spring due to that water uptake, and that’s compounded with the potential for dry windy gusty weather,” Jones said. 

Jones said the area is prone to fires and has seen some of the largest in state history. 

“The Allen Road fire of 1985 burned in this very area and was roughly 95,000 acres. We’ve had the Evans Road fire of 2008 that was roughly 42,000 acres. And that occurs first because of the large expanse of land but also because of the difficulty of the terrain,” Jones said. 

Officials say they could see long-term impacts to the land, such as loss of vegetation and soil. For the latest updates on the last resort fire visit here.