Crews continue to combat 300-acre woods fire in Cumberland County that damaged 3 homes

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fire crews continued to combat a woods fire in Cumberland County on Wednesday nearly 24 hours after it first started burning.

The brush fire forced the evacuation of 10 homes and damaged three. No injuries have been reported.

"The fire is still burning. It is about 60% containment at this point," said Michael Good, the District 6 Forester with N.C. Forest Service. "We are using bulldozers to install containment lines, which cuts off fuel for the fire and prevents it from spreading."

Chopper 11 saw heavy smoke from the air and flames on the ground as crews worked to put on the fire on Dudley Road.

The flames picked back up Wednesday afternoon, the stench of ashes rippling through the area.

Good said with this kind of fire, there are some heavy fuels where the fire is burning out in the middle of the forest where they can't fully see.

"We refer to them as bay fuels," Good said. "They're heavy, waxy leaves. So when that starts burning, it really starts putting up a thick smoke. So whichever way the wind is blowing -- today it's kind of coming out of the northwest -- there's definitely a downwind feel of this smoke and the impact of it."

Good said the fire has affected an estimated 250-300 acres.

The North Carolina Forest Service has bulldozed a containment line for the fire, and Good said area residents should call 911 if they see the fire crossing that containment line.

Ten homes were evacuated Tuesday evening, and some of those residents returned Wednesday.

Units from nearly a dozen fire departments responded.

Officials said Tuesday night that Vander and Cedar Creek fire departments were dispatched to the woods fire at 4918 Dudley Road in eastern Cumberland County about 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

Initial estimates were that the fire encompassed nearly 100 acres. Dudley Road was closed between McKinnon Road and Mack Simmons Road. It reopened for traffic late Tuesday evening.

The Red Cross was assisting nearly a dozen people from the three homes that were damaged.

Good said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. He said Tuesday's high winds and a sharp drop in humidity made for weather conditions that contributed to the large size of the woods fire.

Sampson County fire

In Sampson County, firefighters also battled a woods fire, this one on Newton Lane in the Newton Grove area.

Two homes were evacuated because of the fire, which covered about 10 acres.

Huge fire near Camp Lejeune

A fire burned nearly 3,500 acres of woodlands near Camp Lejeune on Tuesday.

There were no immediate reports of infrastructure damage, and the fire was mostly under control late Tuesday night.

No evacuations were ordered, but base officials expect dense smoke conditions through the night and into Wednesday.