‘Our firefighters have enough on their hands’: Pilot Mountain fire expected to burn for days

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PILOT MOUNTAIN, N.C. (WBTV/AP) - A popular North Carolina state park is expected to be closed all week because of a forest fire.

Crews are working right now to contain the fire at Pilot Mountain State Park, which was first reported Saturday evening.

The park is about 100 miles north of Charlotte in Surry and Yadkin counties.

Related: More than 180 acres burned by fire at Pilot Mountain State Park

The North Carolina Forestry Service said the fire had burned over 500 acres as of Sunday evening, according to the Associated Press.

One man said the smell is something he won’t soon forget.

“I want to be home. I don’t want my family to be worried about me being up there, but yet I’m concerned about the folks left behind fighting the fire,” Henry Fansler said.

Firefighters expect it will take several days to contain the fire.

In a Sunday evening Facebook post, Pilot Mountain Mayor Evan Cockerham said there is little chance of rain in the community’s 10-day forecast and an outdoor burn ban has been issued in Surry County and surrounding counties.

“If you see someone burning leaves, contact local law enforcement. Our firefighters have enough on their hands right now,” Cockerham said in the post.

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