Fires on Mowbray Mountain grow to more than 500 acres

Mowbray Mountain, Tenn. (WDEF) – More than 100 personnel are fighting what’s being called the Kimball Complex including blazes at Flipper Bend, Mowbray Mountain, and now Poe Road.

As of Saturday, the Mowbray Mountain fire is 526 acres, and 50-percent contained.

Another one in the same area sparked yesterday on Poe Road and is 90 acres, but it’s only five-percent contained.

Forestry crews are using helicopters to drop water on the flames.

They expect to be out here awhile.

“The issue is that you guys have a drought here, and until you get any kind of rain or significant amount of rain, you’re going to remain in a drought situation. But what we’re doing in working with the Tri-State Mutual Aid partners, is we’re trying to make sure that we have enough people to rotate in to continually assist you guys until you guys are out of that drought situation,” says Julie Allen with the Florida Forest Service.

No homes are currently threatened by any of these fires, but officials want to remind residents to clean up any leaves or debris near their homes.