Smoke from Dismal Swamp fires reaches OBX

By Rob Morris on August 8, 2011

Smoke from the Great Dismal Swamp drifted over the Outer Banks Monday morning as another heat wave began to settle in.

The smoke was from two fires burning about 200 acres in the swamp on the Virginia-North Carolina border, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reported. Winds were from the west Monday morning but were forecast to shift to the southwest later in the day.

One of the Dismal Swamp fires is burning about 200 acres of large, downed trees and the other is less than an acre, a fish and wildlife statement said. Both were started by lighting and were reported Thursday evening.

The Pains Bay fire in the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge received some rain over the weekend and no smoke was visible.

Meanwhile, another heat advisory is in effect, with temperatures expected to reach 95 today and 97 Tuesday.

The National Weather Service says high humidity will make it feel as hot as 107 degrees today and 110 degrees tomorrow.

A cool front is forecast to move through the area Tuesday night and Wednesday, bringing a chance of showers and thunderstorms.

Temperature forecasts are 92 for Wednesday and 87 Wednesday.

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