Residents, Businesses In Disbelief As Party Rock Blaze Doubles In Size

“It’s unbelievable. I hope the wind don’t pick up and carry it somewhere else now,” said Lake Lure, Resident Chris Jackson.

People living in the Lake Lure area stood in disbelief watching the Party Rock fire blaze up above after doubling in size since Thursday.

“We’re up to 1,914 acres right now with 15% containment. It continues to grow and grow on us,” said Victoria Tillotson of the North Carolina Forest Service.

Which is why evacuations were started before it got worse.

“We evacuated the village of chimney rock up into the Henderson County line today that’s because we’ve got some wind coming in from North that’s going to be pushing the fire down towards those areas.”

Businesses in the area are feeling the impact during a peak tourist time.

“Now that the town is shut down, obviously people have not been able to get in most the afternoon, so unfortunately we haven’t been able to do much business.”

Now they’re hoping it doesn’t spread more causing them to evacuate.

The Forest Service says firefighters will work around the clock using man power on the ground and tractors pushing away leaves other debris to create containment lines.

“We will actually light a fire on the other side, that fire will meet the other fire so then there’s no fuel to burn as well.”