Cheoah and Tusquitee Ranger Districts to begin prescribed fires

(Robbinsville, NC, March 4, 2026) — The Cheoah and Tusquitee Ranger Districts of the Nantahala National Forest are planning prescribed fire operations this week, pending all required approvals. We estimate this work to continue through the weekend as weather conditions allow. We use prescribed fires to help improve plant and animal habitat and reduce overgrown vegetation, protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires. Notifications for prescribed burning on the Nantahala National Forest will be posted to the National Forests in North Carolina Facebook page on the day of ignition.

Prescribed fires planned for the area include:

• Yellow Creek Prescribed Fire – This 1297-acre burn in Graham County will take place north of Robbinsville near the intersection of Yellow Creek Road and Highway 129.
• Meetinghouse Prescribed Fire – This 2000-acre burn in Graham County will take place on the south side of Fontana Lake, north of Hiway 28 between the communities of Stecoah and Almond. 
• Ramsey Bluff Prescribed Fire – This 445-acre burn in Cherokee County will take place on the north side of Hiwassee Lake, south of Grape Creek in the Ramsey Bend area. 

Any roads and trails closed during firing operations will be promptly when safe. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns. 

Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. For more detailed information about air quality, go to AirNow online or download the app. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road.

We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled.

Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website, social media channels, and InciWeb, the interagency incident information system. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.  

About the Forest Service: The Forest Service has, for more than 100 years, brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology — and rooted in communities — the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, and maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live.