What began as a quiet night for firefighters across Dare County quickly and violently turned into a night-long firefight up and down a major highway as firefighters and tankers from across North Carolina battled a fast-moving wildfire on the Dare County Bombing Range.
The fire, named the First Fire, started on the Dare County Bombing Range, an area heavily used by both the Navy and Air Force to practice bombing and strafing runs. By 10 am on Tuesday, the fire was estimated to be 2840 acres in size, and still very active, igniting spot fires well ahead of the main fire.
The first units were dispatched to the fire in the late afternoon of Monday, May 13, and they reported heavy fire activity in the treetops and spot fires across US 264, one of only two main highways in the area. pumpers and tankers from five local departments responded, including the Nags Head, Colington, Roanoke Island, Mann
