Dry Weather Conditions Cause Signal Mountain Brush Fires to Spread

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn.(WDEF)- After more than four days of battling the Signal Mountain brush fire, a new team of firefighters have taken over to help.

This fire has been burning since Saturday afternoon, and doesn’t seem to be letting up any time soon.

“Over the last two days it’s come–we couldn’t even hardly see it at first, and it’s come way around the mountain and it’s right here above us now,” says Chris Lewis.

Signal Mountain’s dangerous brush fire continues to spread, after it first started more than four days ago.

Chris Lewis with L.H. Lewis Tree Service, says he’s been keeping a close eye on the fire to make sure he, and his neighbors stay safe.

“It makes me nervous, I mean I’ve got several friends live up on the mountain, and I actually live up on Mt. Lake Mountain, you know, and of course that’s across the gorge from that but you never know. I mean it’s not getting under control as quick as it should in this area, you know.”

Tennessee Forestry firefighters have taken over, to allow local volunteers to go home and go to work.

Forestry officials say the top and bottom of the mountain are now under control, but the fire continues to burn on the northern and southern edges.

And according to News 12’s Chief Meteorologist Patrick Core, dry weather conditions are to blame.

“We have been dry, not only for the last few weeks, but the last four or five months, and that has been key to our whole brush fire problem, and that will continue for the next several weeks. I just don’t expect a whole lot of rain. I wanted to show you exactly what’s been going on. Now we’re an exceptional drought, all the way from Northern Hamilton County, down into parts of North Georgia, and this is where we have the majority of these forest fires,” says Patrick Core

The cause of the fire has been related to an unattended camp fire, but Hamilton County is currently under a strict burn ban.

“You don’t need to be–any kinda outside fire source what so ever, we’re just too dry. But if you’re gonna have a camp fire, do the right thing. Put it out, cover it up with dirt, you know pack it down that way it can’t get out of hand and cause this problem,” says Chris Lewis.

Yesterday, the state had a crew of 21 firefighters on the ground, using bulldozers and pumpers.

One firefighter was injured. He was quickly treated and released from the hospital, but will be out of service for a week.