Officials are currently investigating what is being called an arson fire at Cripple Creek Road in Watauga.
“Normally I would say under investigation, but given the nature of where this fire is and with what we have, I am going to go ahead and call this an arson fire,” said James Heaton with the Tennessee Division of Forestry Thursday.
Heaton took photos and collected possible evidence from the scene of a brush fire that burned off of Cripple Creek Road and said that today an investigator with the Tennessee Agriculture Crime Unit will be on scene to further investigate the fire.
“Most of the time these are usually just a hot set right off of the pavement and there is really not a lot of evidence,” Heaton said. “I took some pictures and I will have my arson investigator back out here tomorrow.”
At 7:25 p.m. Thursday, firefighters with the Watauga Volunteer Fire Department were dispatched to the brush fire, where it took them roughly 10 to 15 minutes to put out the flames that burned less than half an acre, said Watauga Volunteer Fire Department assistant chief Keith Lafleur.
With it not being fire season, Heaton said that fires like the one Thursday are rare this time of year and that dry conditions are making it more likely for fires to start.
“It is unusual for us to have fires this time of year,” Heaton said. “Normally, our fire season is October 15 through May 15, so these are kind of rare. This just shows you how dry the conditions are right now. The national drought monitor says that we are under abnormally dry weather.”
Heaton said he wanted to encourage people who have any information about Thursday’s arson fire or any another arson fire to call 1-800-762-3017.
“There are rewards potentially available for information leading to arrest or conviction,” Heaton said.