By Mark Wineka
Salisbury Post
A half-dozen departments and forest rangers battled a woods and brush fire covering several acres near the new Drummond Village subdivision off Earnhardt and Stokes Ferry roads Friday afternoon.
A track line or break was eventually plowed around the burning area to contain the fire and allow it to burn out on its own. The fire break also served as a temporary road, wide enough for a brush truck.
Smoke continued coming from the area through the evening.
Lt. Brian Waller of Union Fire Department guessed that at one point the fire covered 3 or 4 acres belonging to an undeveloped portion of the subdivision. Other than an outbuilding at 730 Earnhardt Road, no structures were affected.
Salisbury Fire Department staged equipment in the Laura Springs Drive and Crane Drive area just in case the fire spread toward Cross Creek Terrace and Corbin Hills.Friday afternoon’s thunderstorm in Salisbury both hindered and helped firefighters.
Strong winds prior to the storm fanned flames and made it difficult for the volunteer departments to keep ahead of the fire.
The downpour that followed then assisted in keeping the fire in check.
“‘The rain did help, but the wind pushed it away from us,” Waller said.
Dry conditions also contributed to the fire’s spreading as fast as it did.
“It spread rapidly through that brush,” Waller said. “Once it started, it just took off.”
At 3:48 p.m., Union firefighters responded to the outbuilding on fire at 730 Earnhardt Road and quickly called for mutual aid, which included Granite Quarry, Miller Ferry, Liberty, Salisbury, the Forest Service and Rowan Rescue Squad.
Waller said the storage building was about 200 square feet and was probably a total loss.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
Contact Mark Wineka at 704-797-4263, or mwineka @salisburypost.com.