Wind, heat drive wildfire through Halifax County woods

Scotland Neck Fire Chief Patrick Staton said about 200 acres along N.C. Highway 258 near Douglas Hill Farm Road were consumed.

The recent hot, dry weather contributed to the fire's quick spread, Stanton said. "The wind's been changing 180 degrees in direction all afternoon," he said.

Firefighters from multiple area departments were called out to battle the blaze.

"They've had to pull out several times with 40-50 foot flames going through the woods," Staton said.

The fire burned some old hunting cabins and a barn and briefly threatened some homes.

Leslee West could see the wall of smoke from her property. "First it was brown, and then it turned black, and then it got bigger and bigger and bigger," she said.

Firefighters said the flames were no longer a threat to any homes, but their was a fire truck at West's house on stand-by.

Crews brought in heavy equipment to dig trenches to contain the fire. They also used airborne surveillance to monitor the direction it was heading.

Staton said the fire was under control by 7 p.m. and that firefighters would stay in the area through the evening to conquer hot spots.

Firefighters were also called to a brush fire near Rich Square in Northampton County Saturday, where, a sheriff's office spokeswoman said, about 250 acres burned.