View from Covenant College
photo by Lucy Green
A forest fire that has been burning since Monday on the side of Lookout Mountain southwest of Covenant College is spreading and outside crews are being called in to fight it.
John McCutcheon, acting chief ranger at Chickamauga Park, said the NPS is taking over battling the blaze from the Georgia Forestry Department.
State crews remain at the scene and also have a helicopter in use.
Chief Ranger McCutcheon said early Wednesday afternoon that the fire involved 10-20 acres in a remote section south of Reflecting Riding.
He said he was contacting NPS firefighters from other regions to help.
The chief ranger said the fire was started by someone who was careless with a campfire.
He said the fire is not threatening private property at this time.
The woods are especially dry after a long period of little rain in the Chattanooga area.
There was heavy smoke from the fire at the Covenant College campus.
The fire could be seen from the Maggie's Bluff subdivision, and it was headed toward a nearby power line.
West Brow volunteer firefighters were on the scene.
Water was being scooped from a pond near the bluff.