A large outside fire erupted off Garner Road in Raleigh around 2 a.m. Saturday, drawing a heavy response from fire crews and forcing the city to shut down a stretch of the busy corridor between Newcombe Road and Chris Street. Crews stayed on scene into the morning as authorities worked to secure the area and handle traffic headaches.
Fire response and road closure
Raleigh Fire Department crews responded to the blaze around 2 a.m., and the city closed Garner Road from Newcombe Road to Chris Street, according to WRAL. The outlet reported that investigators and firefighters were still working to pin down what sparked the fire and whether any property was damaged.
Statewide burn ban heightens risk
The N.C. Forest Service has a statewide ban on open burning in effect because of drought conditions and elevated wildfire risk, and the agency says many of the recent fire starts across the state have been human-caused, raising extra concern about outside blazes in urban corridors. The agency issued the burn ban on March 28 and has urged residents to avoid any open burning while conditions remain dry, according to a release from the N.C. Forest Service.
Another blaze in the area
This is at least the second outside fire reported in Raleigh in two days; WRAL covered a large mulch pile that burned for hours Friday at Liberty Waste Solutions on Gresham Lake Road. That earlier fire did not damage buildings or shut down roads. Officials have not said whether the two incidents are related, and investigators remained on scene along Garner Road on Saturday morning.
City officials had not released additional details as of Saturday morning, and more information is expected once investigators wrap up their work on site. Drivers should plan for delays through the southeast Raleigh corridor until crews fully clear the scene.
