Rough Ridge wildfire update in Cohutta Wilderness

BLUE RIDGE, Georgia (WDEF) – Forestry officials have better news to report on the Cohutta Wilderness wildfire.

They say higher humidity and lower temperatures in the mountains have slowed down the fire.

It is right in the middle of the Wilderness between Eton & Blue Ridge, south of the Tennessee line.

The fire has crossed the Rough ridge trail on the northwest edge, dropping into Rough Creek.

On the north, it crossed Crooked Dogwood Gap.

But the fire is stable on the southern and eastern sides along Jacks River and the Jones Settlement.

Fire crews are continuing to set their own fires to use of fuel for the fire, so smoky conditions could continue in the area.

A Chinook and a Black Hawk helicopters continue to dump water on the fire.

The fire has burned almost 3,000 acres in the Wilderness, so far and is only 10% contained.

Here are the closures due to the fire.

Closures:
• Cohutta Wilderness Trail Closures; Jacks River, Penitentiary Branch, Rough Ridge, Hickory Ridge, East Cowpen, Panther Creek, Rice Camp, Horseshoe Bend and Beech Bottom.
• Forest Service Road 64 Closed At Potato Patch Intersection
• Three Forks Trailhead, East Cowpen and Rough Ridge Trail Currently Closed

Also there is a campfire restriction for all of the Chattahoochee and Oconee National Forests.