NEW BERN, N.C. – A 7,000-acre wildfire burning in eastern North Carolina is covering nearby towns with ash and smoke.
Called the Great Lake Wildfire, the blaze began near Great Lake, one of four lakes in Croatan National Forest.
Images taken on Friday show thick, orange-grey clouds of smoke and ash hovering over towns near the forest.
One of those towns is New Bern, which lies just north of Croatan National Forest. Images show a clear delineation between the orange smoke cloud and the blue sky over the town’s riverfront.
More than 40 miles north of New Bern, the residents of Greenville have also seen smoke clouds from the wildfire. One image shows a neighborhood street with a smoke cloud hovering above.
Smoke from the Great Lake fire was carried by southerly winds on Friday. A satellite loop showed the smoke being blown north toward New Bern and other cities.
The U.S. Forest Service warned nearby residents and park visitors that smoke will be visible and that the fire may impact the Catfish Lake and Great Lake Road areas. Officials added that the Black Lake Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) area is closed until further notice.