Additional Emergency Closures Issued on the Nantahala National Forest

PRESS RELEASE 

National Forests in North Carolina

160A Zillicoa St.

Asheville, N.C. 28801 

ASHEVILLE, NC - November 17, 2016 - The Nantahala National Forest has issued additional area, road, and trail closures associated with wildfires. These closures cover the Chunky Gal area on the Tusquittee Ranger District and the Southern Nantahala Wilderness area on the Nantahala Ranger District.

"The area closures we have put in place are critical to firefighting efforts to ensure the safety of both the public and our firefighters," James Melonas, Deputy Forest Supervisor for National Forests in North Carolina explains. "We will be working with our fire managers to assess the situation on a daily basis to reopen these areas as soon as possible."

New closures on the Tusquittee Ranger District are associated with management of the Boteler Fire, which is currently at 8,967 acres and 57% contained. Closures on the Nantahala Ranger District are associated with the Rock Mountain Fire, which moved into NC today and is currently 7,999 acres and 20% contained.

These closures are in addition to the closures issued on November 12, 2016 for the Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Wilderness area on the Cheoah Ranger District.

For a full list of National Forest closures visit: http://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/nfsnc/home/?cid=stelprdb5379710&width=full

TUSQUITTEE RANGER DISTRICT CLOSURES:

AREA

• Nantahala National Forest lands north of US64 and east of State Road 1330 to Nantahala Ranger District boundary
• Nantahala National Forest lands south and east of State Road 1307 from State Road 1330 to US64 and the Nantahala Ranger District Boundary

ROADS

• NFSR 6226 Vineyard Road
• NFSR 351 Nelson Ridge Road
• NFSR 350 Perry Gap Road
• NFSR 350A Buck Creek Road
• NFSR 350A1 Lodge Road
• NFSR 350-1 Thunderstruck Road
• NFSR 351A Morgan Cove Road
• NFSR 351B Birch Cove Road
• NFSR 351C Chairmaker Road
• NFSR 351D Passmore Spur Road
• NFSR 348 "Old 64 Hwy" Road
• NFSR 6236 Barnett Creek Road
• NFSR 6237 Bruce Ridge Road
• NFSR 6269 Davenport Road
• NFSR 6269A Doe Knob Road
• NFSR 6269B Davenport Branch Road
• NFSR 6269C Johnson Branch Road
• NFSR 6270 Clear Creek Spur Road

TRAILS

• TR 77 Chunky Gal Trail (entire length, from Appalachian Trail to Rim Trail)

NANTAHALA RANGER DISTRICT CLOSURES:

AREA

• Southern Nantahala Wilderness (North Carolina)
• Nantahala National Forest lands east of Eagle Fork community to Southern Nantahala Wilderness boundary
• Nantahala National Forest lands south of US 64 and Allison Creek Road (SR 1448), to the Southern Nantahala Wilderness boundary (including the Standing Indian and Hurricane Creek areas)
• Nantahala National Forest lands west of the Nantahala Mountains ridge from Mooney Gap to Wallace Gap, and west to the Southern Nantahala Wilderness boundary (including the Appalachian Trail, side trails, and shelter sites)

ROADS

• NFSR 56 Tallulah River Road
• NFSR 6230 Dave Barret Branch Road
• NFSR 6230B Eagles Nest Road
• NFSR 6230C Loggy Branch Road
• NFSR 6232 Middle Ridge Road
• NFSR 6232A Ledford Branch Road
• NFSR 67 Upper Nantahala Road
• NFSR 67B Long Branch Road
• NFSR 67C Little Rock Branch Road
• NFSR 67D Thomas Branch Road
• NFSR 67H Curtis Creek Road
• NFSR 67J Little Indian Road
• NFSR 67L Bear Pen Mountain Road
• NFSR 67M Yellow Patch Road
• NFSR 67M1 Yellow Patch Spur Road
• NFSR 67N Betty Creek Road
• NFSR 67Q Yellow Bald Road
• NFSR 71 Deep Gap Road
• NFSR 71A Hogan Cove Road
• NFSR 71B Black Branch Road
• NFSR 71D Riley Cove Road
• NFSR 7215 Park Gap Road
• NFSR 7215A Kimsey Bald Road
• NFSR 7215B Park Creek Road
• NFSR 7215C Park Gap Spur Road
• NFSR 7216 Penland Gap Road
• NFSR 7217 Hurricane Creek Road
• NFSR 7217A Middle Hurricane Creek Road
• NFSR 7217B Upper Hurricane Creek Road
• NFSR 7217C Upper Yellow Bald Road
• NFSR 7218 Kimsey Divide Road
• NFSR 7219 Little Lyman Creek Road
• NFSR 7282 Blackwell Gap Road
• NFSR 7282A Sassafras Ridge Road
• NFSR 7282B Upper Curtis Creek Road
• NFSR 7282C Upper Long Branch Road
• NFSR 7304 Middle Gap Road
• NFSR 83 Ball Creek Road

TRAILS

• TR 1 Appalachian Trail, side trails, and shelter sites (from GA line to NOC)
• TR 13 Pickens Nose Trail
• TR 20 Timber Ridge Trail
• TR 21 Little Indian Trail
• TR 22 Bear Pen Gap Trail
• TR 23 Kimsey Creek Trail
• TR 25 Yellow Patch Trail
• TR 28 Lower Trail Ridge Trail
• TR 29 Big Laurel Falls Trail
• TR 30 Waslick Poplar Trail
• TR 31 & 31A Mooney Falls Trail & Spur
• TR 32 & 32A Park Ridge Trail & Connector
• TR 33 Park Creek Trail
• TR 34 Big Indian Trail
• TR 35 Beech Gap Trail
• TR 35A Indian Ridge Trail
• TR 36 Hurricane Creek Loop Trail
• TR 36A Albert Mountain Trail
• TR 36B Camp Shortcut Trail
• TR 366 Blackwell Gap Loop Trail
• TR 367 Betty Creek Gap Trail
• TR 375 Thomas Branch Trail
• TR 377 Deep Gap Branch Trail
• TR 378 Beech Creek Trail
• TR 638 Big Scaley Trail
• TR 77 Chunky Gal Trail (entire length, from AT to Rim Trail)
• TR 84 Bly Gap Trail
• TR 86 Long Branch Trail