Smoke from massive Georgia fire moves into NC again

Smoke from a massive fire in Georgia is moving into North Carolina again, and the Triangle may soon be able to smell it.

The National Weather Service in Raleigh said Thursday that reports had come in of smoke visible in the Triad area. Smoke also was reported across the state around April 16.

“We may smell the smoke in the Triangle and Fayetteville soon, and in the Rocky Mount area shortly after, but none has been reported there yet,” according to the weather service.

A lightning strike started a fire in southeast Georgia on April 6 near the southern end of the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge. also known as the “West Mims Fire.” The weather service said Thursday that what has become known as the “West Mims Fire” was the most likely source of smoke in North Carolina.

That fire still is burning and likely will continue to burn for some time, the weather service said. The fire covered nearly 74,000 acres and was only 8 percent contained on Thursday.

The weather service says the fire may not be contained until Nov. 1, which means the smell of smoke may be common in the Carolinas this summer.

This story was originally published April 27, 2017 at 5:07 PM with the headline "Smoke from massive Georgia fire moves into NC again."